PUB00155

• Year: 2007
• Title: The Colorado River The Story of a Quest for Certainty on a Diminishing River
• CWCB Section: Administration
• Author: Eric Kuhn
• Description: The Colorado River The Story of a Quest for Certainty on a Diminishing River
• Publications - Doc Type: Other

reservoirs constructed and operated under the authority of the
Colorado River Storage Project Act, the Boulder Canyon Project Act,
and the Boulder Canyon Project Adjustment Act. To effect in part the
purposes expressed in this paragraph, the criteria shall make
provision for the storage of water in storage unites of the Colorado
River storage project and releases of water form Lake Powell in the
following listed order of priority:

(1) releases to supply one-half the deficiency described in
article III (c) of the Colorado River Compact, if any such deficiency
exists and is chargeable to the States of the Upper Division, but in any
event such releases, if any, shall not be required in any year that the
Secretary makes the determination and issues the proclamation
specified in section 202 of this Act;

(2) releases to comply with article III (d) of the Colorado
River Compact, less such quantities of water delivered into the
Colorado River below Lee Ferry to the credit of the States of the
Upper Division from other sources; and

(3) storage of water not required for the releases specified in
clauses (1) and (2) of this subsection to the extent that the Secretary,
after consultation with the Upper Colorado River Commission and
representatives of the three Lower Division States and taking into
consideration all relevant factors (including, but not limited to,
historic stream-flows, the most critical period of record, and
. probabilities of water supply), shall find this to be reasonably
necessary to assure deliveries under clauses (1) and (2) without
impairment of annual consumptive uses in the upper basin pursuant
to the Colorado River Compact: Provided, That water not so required
to be stored shall be released from Lake Powell: (i) to the extent it can
be reasonably applied in the States of the Lower Division to the uses
specified in article III (e) ofthe Colorado River Compact, but no such
releases shall be made when the active storage in Lake Powell is less
than the active storage in Lake Mead, (ii) to maintain, as nearly as
practicable, active storage in Lake Mead equal to the active storage
in Lake Powell, and (iii) to avoid anticipated spills from Lake
Powell. "

Paragraph (3) has led to the concept of what is commonly referred to as the 602 (a) storage
"trigger." My explanation of the 602 (a) storage trigger is based on the concept of risk. When there
is less than this amount of storage in the CRSP reservoirs, the Upper Basin is at an unacceptable
level of risk. The risk is that sometime in the next 10 year period the Upper Basin will not be able
to meet its obligations under Article III (c) and (d) of the 1922 Compact, resulting in an impairment
of annual consumptive uses. This situation is commonly referred to as a 1922 Compact "call." If
CRSP storage levels are above 602 (a) and the active capacity of Lake Mead is less than Lake

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