20a

• Board Meeting Date: 1/15/2008
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River - Operations Overview
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

STATE OF COLORADO
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denser, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
wuu*. c~scb. state. co. us
TO: Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
FROM: Randy Seaholm, Chief Water Supply Protection
DATE: January 15, 2008
Bill Ritter, Jr
Gosenior
Hams D. Sherman
DNR Executive Director
Jennifer L. Gimbel
CWCB Director
Dan McAulit3e
CWCB Deput`~ Director
SUBJECT: Agenda Item 20a, January 22-23, 2008 Board Aleeting -
Water Supply Protection -Colorado River Record of Decision Operations
Overview
Scott Balcomb, Jim Lochhead and Randy Seaholm (members of Colorado's negotiating team)
will present an overview of the key components contained in the Secretary of Interior's Record
of Decision adopting the Colorado River Interim Guidelines for Lower Basin Shortages and the
Coordinated Operations of Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which was signed on December 13,
2007. These Guidelines, which will expire in 2025 unless extended, address four primary areas:
Conditions under which the Secretary will declare shortages in the lower basin and reduce
water deliveries from Lake Mead.
Operations between Lakes Powell and Mead and the reservoir conditions that will dictate
how much water is released from Lake Powell to Lake Mead and from Lake Mead to lower
basin water users.
The Guidelines incorporate, with minor modifications, the December 2002 Interim Surplus
Criteria.
The Guidelines establish an institutional frame work under which the louver basin can
develop and store in Lake Mead conserved and non-system water.
The Guidelines along with 7-Basin State Agreements achieve the following:
They commit the states to solve problems through a consultation process, thereby avoiding
litigation and helping to provide an added measure of certainty to water users and minimize
the risks associated with litigation.
They maintain consistency with existing laws and reaffirm the Compacts.
They preserve the rights of each state and their respective legal positions.
Lower Basin recognition that there is a potential for shortages and implementation of
shortage criteria. Arizona, by taking shortages voluntarily, recognizes that the CAP lacked a
full water supply under full development conditions in the basin.
Water Supply Protection • Watershed Protection & Flood Mitigation • Stream & Lake Protection • Water Supply Planning & Finance
Water Conservation & Drought Planning • Intrastate Water Management & Development