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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />\ <br />002042 <br /> <br />From time to time. the entire flow of the Bypass Drain could alt~mate between the <br />Colorado River wetlands and the Cienaga. mimicking the pulse-flow extremes seen in nature. Such a <br />management strategy would not take water from the Cienaga but would allow the water now <br />entering that area to be delivered in surges. <br /> <br />The unresolved issues with such an approach are: <br /> <br />. The potential for increased shortages in the United States and allocating <br />responsibility for mitigating those shortages, should they occur. <br /> <br />· The ability of the two governments to reach agreement on a Minute to'the Treaty. <br /> <br />. A determination whether the benefits of reduction in salinity of water used by all <br />farmers in the Mexicali and San Luis Rio Colorado Valley areas would offset the <br />local economic and social implications of purchasing and retiring agricultural land <br /> <br />. Confirmation that the brackish water will be of sufficient quality to sustain the stands <br />of riparian vegetation (cottonwoods and willows) as well as the patches of cattails in <br />the pond systems in the area south of the Compaction Zone. Recent research by <br />Zamora-Anoya, et al..15 has demonstrated that brackish water can provide a valuable <br />water supply source for many species of vegetation in the Colorado River Delta, <br />although careful management is needed. <br /> <br />C. Implications for Water Users in the United States <br /> <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />The proposed release during the term of the ISC of additional water into the Bypass Drain <br />without credit against Treaty delivery requirements would marginally increase the potential for future <br />shortages to US water users. To put the magnitude of that additional risk in perspective. a <br />comparison of alternative Hoover Dam releases is provided in the table at the top of the fonowing <br />page. <br /> <br />As can be seen, the ISC will allow California to continue using more than its 4.4 million acre- <br />feet per year normal apportionment. However. the continued excess use by California in the <br />meantime will, cause additional releases from Lake Mead' and thus increase the likelihood that <br />shortages would occur. The additional releaseS for the. proposed Delta water supply measures <br />constitute a very small additional demand on the River compared to that of the ISC. <br /> <br />27 <br />