Laserfiche WebLink
<br />000857 <br /> <br />minimum release objective, power generation, recreation, water quality, fish and <br />wildlife, river operations, and system losses for both Lake Powell and Lake Mead. <br />This work has been initiated. <br /> <br />The strategies, guidelines and reservoir operating criteria would help guide the <br />Secretary of the Interior in the staged implementation of measures needed to <br />maintain values or the level of values (water uses) and avoid shortages under <br />increasing drought severity. It would also guide the Secretary in implementing <br />voluntary forbearances or shortages if that became necessary. <br /> <br />AUTHORITY: (identify existing or new) <br />COST: <br />FUNDING SOURCE: <br />ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT: (categorical exclusionlEIS/other) <br />ENVIRONMENTAL OR ESA ISSUES: <br />NEED FOR RULES AND REGULATIONS: <br /> <br />· Request voluntary forbearance of Lower Division states' use of special <br />surplus water. Entitled parties would voluntarily forbear or minimize the use of <br />full or partial domestic special surplus water until reservoir system storage <br />improves. Such special surplus water would not be available under normal or <br />shortage conditions. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has <br />forborne the use of over 800,000 acre-feet of special surplus water it was entitled <br />to in 2003 and 2004 and is not planning to request special water in 2005. Southern <br />Nevada Water Authority also did not use special surplus water in 2003. All three <br />Lower Division States have tentatively stated that they currently are not planning <br />to request special surplus water in 2005 if it is available. <br /> <br />AUTHORITY: (identify existing or new) <br />COST: <br />FUNDING SOURCE: <br />ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT: (categorical exclusionlEIS/other) <br />ENVIRONMENTAL OR ESA ISSUES: <br />NEED FOR RULES AND REGULATIONS: <br /> <br />· Use Senator Wash Reservoir to a greater extent temporarily. Senator Wash <br />(13,836 acre-foot storage capacity at elevation 251 feet above sea level) has been <br />subject to operating restrictions since 1992 due to dam safety problems. It is <br />designed to conserve up to 300,000 acre-feet per year by re-regulating river flows. <br /> <br />Review Senator Wash Reservoir restrictions to determine if greater interim use <br />for flow re-regulation can be allowed in conjunction with further operational <br />testing and until additional water management reservoirs can be constructed (by <br />2008). Presently Senator Wash may not be operated at elevation 240 feet (9,144 <br />acre-feet storage capacity) for more than 10 days at a time and is otherwise <br />restricted to elevation 235 feet (7,350 acre-feet storage capacity). Reclamation's <br /> <br />-2- <br />