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<br />Ou233/) <br /> <br />The Flow Recommendations did not provide for making a spring peak release from Navajo <br />Reservoir in 2004 due to the severity of the drought and the hydrologic conditions in the San Juan <br />River Basin. Although there was no peak release, at times higher than normal base flows were <br />released from Navajo Reservoir during the spring and summer months during water year 2004. <br />Releases from Navajo Reservoir from June through August 2004 averaged 548 cfs (15.5 cms) and <br />were as high as 806 cfs (22.8 cms) in mid-August. These releases were necessary due to decreasing <br />flows in the San Juan River endangered fish critical habitat area (Farmington to Lake Powell). The <br />Flow Recommendations call for an average weekly flow of between 500 cfs (14 cms) and 1,000 cfs <br />(28 cms) in this reach of the river; however, because ofthe poor water supply conditions at Navajo <br />Reservoir, the SJRlP and the Fish and Wildlife Service concurred in providing a lesser base flow of <br />400 cfs through the critical habitat reach during the 2004 irrigation season only, which flow is <br />deemed sufficient to maintain endangered fish populations and habitat in the San Juan River through <br />the critical habitat reach for the designated time period. With minimal tributary inflow to the San <br />Juan River below Navajo Dam (primarily the Animas River) in 2004, this flow, as well as the flow <br />required to meet downstream demands and natural losses, had to be made up almost entirely of <br />releases from Navajo Reservoir. <br /> <br />In response to the extremely low storage level in Navajo Reservoir, coupled with a less-than-average <br />predicted inflow in 2004, a shortage sharing agreement was developed among water users in 2004. <br />The 2004 shortage sharing recommendations were similar to the agreement that was developed in <br />2003. Ten major water users, including the Ji carilla A pache and Navajo Nations, Hammond <br />Conservancy District, Public Service Company of New Mexico, City of Farmington, Arizona Public <br />Service Company, BHP-Billiton, Bloomfield Irrigation District, Farmers Mutual Ditch, and Jewett <br />Valley Ditch, endorsed the recommendations which included limitations on diversions for 2004, <br />criteria for determining a shortage, and shortage-sharing requirements in the event of a water supply <br />shortfall, including sharing of shortages between the water users and the flow demands for <br />endangered fish habitat. In addition to the ten major water users, the New Mexico Interstate Stream <br />Commission, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the SJR.IP all provided <br />input to the recommendations, and the recommendations were accepted for reservoir operation and <br />river administration purposes by Reclamation and the New Mexico State Engineer. <br /> <br />The criteria used for determining a water shortage in 2004 at Navajo Reservoir was based on <br />protecting an elevation of5,990 feet (the top ofthe inactive pool), with future inflows assumed to be <br />at minimum probable levels (90 percent exceedance). When the water surface elevation at Navajo <br />Reservoir was projected to fall below 5,990 feet, with projected inflows at the minimum probable <br />level, a water supply shortfall was determined. The shortage calculations were updated frequently as <br />runoff forecasts changed and actual runoff materialized. Because of sufficient inflow into Navajo <br />Reservoir in 2004, no shortages were required during the 2004 water year, <br /> <br />Reclamation is proceeding through a NEP A process on the implementation of operations at Navajo <br />Dam that meet the Flow Recommendations, or a reasonable alternative to them. A Notice of Intent <br />to prepare an EIS was filed on October 1, 1999, in the Federal Register. A draft EIS was released on <br /> <br />13 <br />