WSP12636

• File Number: 8282.300
• Description: Colorado River Operations and Accounting - Lower Basin Administrative Procedures
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 8/1/1996
• Author: DOI-BOR
• Title: Description and Assessment of Operations-Maintenance and Sensitive Species of the Lower Colorado River - Volume II - Appendices-Etc - 08-01-96
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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0025?5

Terms:

Irrigation use: the use of mainstream water for the commercial production of agricultural
crops or livestock, including use of water for other purposes incidental thereto, on tracts of
arable land operated in units of more than 5 acres.

Annual Operating Plan: the projected annual plan of operation prepared in accordance with
the Criteria for Coordinated Long-Range Operation of Colorado River Reservoirs pursuant to
section 602 of the Colorado River Basin Project Act of September 30, 1968, and adopted by
the Secretary for operating the reservoirs of the Seedskadee, Colorado River Storage,
Boulder Canyon, and Parker-Davis Projects during the 12-month period from October 1
through the following September 30.

Apportionment: both 1) the total amount of Colorado River wau~r available for beneficial
use within a calendar year in the lower Colorado River basin as established by the Colorado
River Compact and 2) the division of the amount of Colorado River water available to the
lower Colorado River basin among the lower basin States as established by the Boulder
Canyon Project Act and confirmed by the Court decree. Such apportionment will vary
depending upon whether the Secretary, in accordance with the Supreme Court Decree and the
criteria for the Annual Operating Plan in any 1 year, has declared a normal, shortage, or
surplus condition for that year. For a normal water year, the lower basin is entitled to
receive 7.5 maf.

Basic apJ>ortionment: the Colorado River water apportioned to each lower basin State when
sufficient water is available for release, as determined by the Secretary, to satisfy 7.5 maf of
annual consumptive use in the lower basin. The basic annual apportionment for a normal
year is 2.8 maf of consumptive use for Arizona; 4.4 maf of consumptive use for California;
and 0.3 maf of consumptive use for Nevada.

Beneficial use: all uses of Colorado River water which are: 1) for non-Federal entitlement
holders, consistent with relevant State law, or as otherwise permitted by the Secretary; 2) for
non-Indian Federal entitlement holders, consistent with decreed entitlements, applicable
contracts, administrative reservations of water entitlements, or the purposes for which the
reservations were created; and 3) for Indian Federal entitlement holders, consistent with
relevant Federal and Tribal laws.

Colorado River water: the waters of the Colorado River and the waters of the hydraulically
connected aquifers which originated from the Colorado River or would be replaced by water
from the Colorado River upon withdrawal.

Consumptive use: 1) diversions from the Colorado River, including diversions by
underground pumping, less such return flow thereto as is available for consumptive use in
the United States or in satisfaction of the Mexican treaty obligation, and 2) evaporative or
other losses from the Colorado River resulting from actions taken subsequent to March 9,

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