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Interim Guidelines for the <br />Operation of Lake Powell <br />and Lake Mead <br />IX. Implementing the Decision <br />A. Setting <br />Against the backdrop of prolonged drought, in 2005, with reservoir elevations <br />dropping rapidly, the Department was faced with the challenge of making <br />operational decisions regarding modified operations of Glen Canyon Dam and <br />Hoover Dam. One of the challenges that the Department faced was that there were <br />not detailed, objective guidelines to determine how the operation of the two <br />reservoirs would be modified in drought and other low-reservoir conditions. <br />After receiving conflicting recommendations from representatives of the four Upper <br />Division and the three Lower Division states, the Secretary issued a decision on <br />May 2, 2005, charging Reclamation with the development of operational tools that <br />can continue to assure productive use of the Colorado River into the future, while <br />avoiding unnecessary, protracted or destabilizing litigation. <br />More than two years later, the drought conditions have continued and the need for <br />detailed operational guidelines is even more necessary today as compared with mid- <br />2005. Reclamation has conducted an extensive public process, seeking input from <br />state, tribal and local governments, along with input from members of <br />environmental organizations and members of the general public. These Guidelines <br />represent the Department's determination as to the most appropriate set of <br />guidelines to adopt at this stage of the ongoing drought. <br />B. Scope of Guidelines <br />These Guidelines are intended to be applied each year during the Interim Period <br />with respect to the operation and management of the waters of the Colorado River <br />stored in Lake Powell and Lake Mead. The relevant sections of these Guidelines <br />address the following: <br />• determine those circumstances under which the Secretary would reduce the <br />annual amount of water available for consumptive use from Lake Mead to <br />the Colorado River Lower Division states below 7.5 maf (a "Shortage") <br />pursuant to Article II(B)(3) of the Consolidated Decree; <br />• define the coordinated operation of Lake Powell and Lake Mead to provide <br />improved operation of these two reservoirs, particularly under low reservoir <br />conditions; <br />• allow for the storage and delivery, pursuant to applicable federal law, of <br />conserved Colorado River system and non-system water in Lake Mead to <br />increase the flexibility of meeting water use needs from Lake Mead, <br />particularly under drought and low reservoir conditions; and, <br />ROD -Colorado River Interim Guidelines for December 2007 <br />Lower Basin Shortages and Coordinated 21 <br />Operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead <br />