Basin States' Comments on Draft Environmental Impact Statement, CO River Interim guidelines for Lower Basin Shrotages and Coordinated Operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead

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STATE OF COLORADO Colorado Water Conservation Board Department of Natural Resources 1313 Sherman Street, Room 721 Denver, Colorado 80203 Phone: (303) 8b6-3441 FAX: (303) 866.4474 www. cwcb.state.co.us Apri130, 2007 Bill Ritter, Jr. Governor Harris D. Sherman );xecutive Director Honorable Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary Rod Kuharich Department of the Interior CWCB Director 1849 C. Street, NW Dan McAuliffe Washington, D.C. 20240 Deputy Director Re: State of Colorado Comments on Draft Environmental Impact Statement Regarding Colorado River Reservoir Operations: Development of Lower Basin Shortage Guidelines and Coordinated Management Strategies for bake Powell and Lake Mead Under Low Reservoir Conditions. Dear Secretary Kempthorne: The State of Colorado thanks you for the opportunity to comment on the Draft L'nvironnaental Impact Statement for Colorado River Reservoir Operations: Development of Lower Basin Shortage Guidelines and Coordinated Management Strategies for 1 ake Powell and Lake Mead Under Low Reservoir Conditions (the "DEIS"} released by the Bureau of Reclamation (the "Bureau") on February 28, 2007.' The importance to Colorado of its namesake river cannot be overstated. The Colorado River and its tributaries supply over a third of Colorado's water needs and provide water to nearly 60 percent of the States' population. Originating as snowfall high in the Colorado mountains, Colorado River water is put to agricultural use on Colorado's eastern plains, central valleys, and western mesas; municipal use in cities from Fort Collins to Denver to Colorado Springs to Durango to Grand Junction; and industrial use at manufacturing facilities, mines, ski resorts, and oil and gas production facilities across the State. Moreover, because no major rivers flow into Colorado, Colorado must satisfy all its water demands from sources within the State. The Colorado River is simply an irreplaceable resource for Colorado. The State's past, present, and future are directly tied to the Colorado River. The significance of the Colorado River to Colorado is reflected in the Colorado River and Upper Colorado River Basin Compacts, which grant Colorado the largest allocation of Colorado River System water of all the Upper Division States and the second largest allocation of Colorado River Water of all the Basin States. Due to its location at the headwaters of the Colorado River, Colorado must depend upon this allocation not only to meet its present needs, but also to provide for its future development. Indeed, it was precisely for the purpose of preserving its right to ~ Publication of the Draft EIS, Colorado River Interim Guidelines for Lower Basin Shortages and Coordinated Operations for bake Powell and Lake Mead (hereinafter "DEIS") was announced at 72 Fed. Reg. 902G (February 28, 2007}. Flood Protection • Water Supply Planning and Finance • Stream and Lake Protection Water Supply Protection • Conservation and Drought Planning