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<br /> <br />Sharing Colorado River Water: History, Public Policy and the Colorado River Compact <br /> <br />Page 7 of 15 <br /> <br />COLORADO RIVER BASIN DEPLETION PROJEcnONS (Unit: 1,000 aflyr) <br /> 1990 1000 2010 2020 <br />Upper Buill <br />Colorado 2.296 2,445 2,565 2,636 <br />New Mexico 503 53S 641 143 <br />Utah 857 951 1,0.30 1,013 <br />Wyoming 495 SOS 530 539 <br />Totals 4,151 4.436 4,766 4,991 <br /> - <br />LowerBasiD <br />Nevada 214 2SS 304 341 <br />Arizona 1,351 2.019 2,313 2.531 <br />California 5,162 4,916 4.823 4,622 <br />Totals 6.n1 1,193 7,500 7.500 <br />Source: Quallly o/Waur. Colorado River Balbt Progre# R1pol1. Number 18. JanUGTy 1997. <br />u.s. Dtparl1M1ft oltM Interior Rtpor1. <br /> <br />(The table above shows projections of Colorado River use for each basin state. AlthOl <br />the report is fairly recent, the 1990 figures still are considered estimates since obtainil <br />final information is a lengthy process. Efforts are currently being made to facilitate th <br />acquisition and tabulation of data to ensure a more timely release. Also, these figures <br />not take into consideration the effects of Arizona's new water bank. This recent <br />development is considered an "assessment buster. ") <br /> <br />In this manner Colorado River water is shared and used. The system has worked up u <br />now mainly because the states have not been using their full allocations. As each statf. <br />supply is fully appropriated the system will tighten. A milestone was reached in 1990 <br />when Arizona, California, and Nevada consumed for the first time the total Lower <br />Basin's 7.5 maf allocation. <br /> <br />Meanwhile each of the Lower Basin states has somewhat different goals in managing <br />Colorado River water. In response to a directive from the Secretary of the Interior, <br />California is working on a plan to limit its use of Colorado River water to 4. 4 maf pe <br />year, its legally apportioned amount. Nevada is seeking to obtain additional Colorado <br />River water for the rapidly growing Las Vegas area, and Arizona is devising plans to <br />its entire entitlement, by banking or recharging water not presently needed. <br /> <br />Along with working out their Colorado River plans and strategies the states also must <br />contend with various issues that compact delegates did not address and that later arosl <br />prominence. Some, like environmental concerns, were not recognized as important at <br />that time, while others, like Indian water rights, were simply side-stepped by compac1 <br />negotiators. The result was that Law of the River would be in the making for many Yf. <br />to come. Many of those neglected issues are among the most important facing <br />westerners today. <br /> <br />http://ag.arizona.edu/ AZW A TERlarroyo/1 0 1 comm.html <br /> <br />9/1212006 <br />