The Secretary of the Interior - Washington - CO River Interim Guidelines for Lower Basin Shortages and the Coordinated Operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead

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Interim Guidelines for the Operation of Lake Powell and Lake Mead considered the information provided by the USIBWC prior to adopting these Guidelines, including information representing the views of the Government of Mexico. The USIBWC has advised that the Department may proceed with planning and implementation activities for these Guidelines with the understanding that these Guidelines are not intended to constitute an interpretation or application of the 1944 Treaty or to represent current United States policy or a determination of future United States policy regarding deliveries to Mexico. The Department notes the intention of the Governments of the United States and Mexico, memorialized in a Joint Statement issued August 13, 2007, to cooperate and collaborate regarding issues related to the lower portion of the Colorado River under the auspices of the IBWC. D. Intentionally Created Surplus Findings ICS may be created through projects that create water system efficiency or extraordinary conservation or tributary conservation or the importation of non- Colorado River System water into the Mainstream. ICS is consistent with the concept that entities may take actions to augment storage of water in the lower Colorado River Basin. The ICS shall be delivered to the Contractor that created it pursuant to both Articles II(B)(2) and II(B)(6) of the Consolidated Decree and Forbearance Agreements. Implementation of these Guidelines for ICS is conditioned upon execution of Forbearance Agreements and Delivery Agreements as further provided for in these Guidelines. 2. Purposes The primary purposes of ICS are to: (a) encourage the efficient use and management of Colorado River water; and to increase the water supply in Colorado River System reservoirs, through the creation, delivery and use of ICS; (b) help minimize or avoid shortages to water users in the Lower Basin; (c) benefit storage of water in both Lake Powell and Lake Mead; (d) increase the surface elevations of both Lake Powell and Lake Mead to higher levels than would have otherwise occurred; and (f) assure any Contractor that invests in conservation or augmentation to create ICS that no other Contractor will claim the ICS created by the Contractor pursuant to an approved plan by the Secretary. Quantities The maximum quantities of Extraordinary Conservation ICS that may be accumulated in all ICS Accounts, at any time, upon the effective date of these Guidelines is limited to the amounts provided in Section 3.B.5. of these Guidelines. The maximum quantities of Extraordinary Conservation ICS that ROD -Colorado River Interim Guidelines for December 2007 Lower Basin Shortages and Coordinated 27 Operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead