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<br />000292 <br /> <br />about 35 million acre-feet by the spring of2003. With declining reservoir levels, various <br />interests have called for operation of the YDP to reduce the amount of drainage water that <br />is bypassed and not charged against Mexico's Treaty entitlement. <br /> <br />The potential environmental impact ofYDP and other actions approved by the Act was <br />documented in the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Project, Title I, Environmental <br />Impact Statement (EI~) published June 18, 1975 (original EIS). However, the EIS <br />anticipated a period of construction of about 3 years. With the bypass continuing for over <br />25 years, the Cienega, a wetlands area and habitat of about 11,000 acres has established <br />itself. <br /> <br />Operation of the YDP would reduce the volume and increase the salinity of water flowing <br />to the Cienega. Currently, the U. S. bypasses about 108,000 acre-feet per year of2,800 <br />!llyl salinity wa~. With the xpp o~rating, the flows would be reduced to about 30,oCili <br />acre-feet per year and would have a salini of about 9,000 mg/I. Furthermore, average <br />, annual operatIon, maintenance and replacement cos s are etween $26 million and <br />$34 million per year. <br /> <br />During the past year, staff of the Bureau of Reclamation has conducted studies and an <br />informal and structured dialog with various interest groups, seeking to develop a <br />management approach that would reduce the impacts of drainage water bypass on U.S. <br />water users and reduce the level of Federal expenditures needed to meet the Colorado River <br />salinity control agreement with Mexico. The use of water transfers as a way to meet <br />changing water needs in the Colorado River Basin is believed to provide such an <br />opportunity. The measures identified in this report would be in addition to the current <br />authority to operate the YDP., The YDP would be prepared for operation through <br />correction of identified design deficiencies, seeking necessary discharge permit under <br />section 402 of the Clean Water Act, conducting an environmental review, and through <br />developing of appropriate environmental compliance. This report describes the results of <br />those studies and that dialog. <br /> <br />The Senate Appropriation Committee report that accompanied the FY 2000 Energy and <br />Water Appropriations Bile asked the Secretary to provide a report on the alternatives to <br />meeting Treaty requirements without the YDP and actions the Bureau of Reclamation can <br />take to reduce the high annual operation and maintenance costs. The analysis contained <br />herein also responds to that request. Furthermore, the Department of the Interior uses the <br />submittal of this Report to seek additional authorities under Section 104 of the Act to meet <br />those obligations in a more cost-effective manner. Necessary environmental comPliance) <br />activities would be completed prior to implementing the actions described in this report. <br /> <br />3 Senate Report 106-58, dated June 2, 1999, at page 80, states: <br />"Colorado River Basin Salinity Control, Title I. --The Committee has included a total of <br />$10,092,000 for the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control, Title I program. Budget constraints have forced <br />the Committee to recommend that initiation of replacement of membrane elements at the Yuma Desalting <br />Plant be deferred for fiscal year 2000. In addition, the Committee remains concerned about the high cost of <br />keeping the Plant in a standby status. The Department is to provide a report to the Committee on alternatives <br />to meeting Treaty requirements without the YDP, and actions the Bureau of Reclamation can take to reduce <br />the high annual operation and maintenance costs." <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />~1j;: <br />~~) <br /> <br />10 <br />