WSP13003

• File Number: 8282.500
• Description: Coordinated Long Range Operation of Colorado River Reservoirs
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 3/29/2005
• Author: Federal Register
• Title: Long-Range Operating Criteria 6th Review Initiated 1/15/2002 Federal Register notice
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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Federal Register/Vol. 70, No. 59/Tuesday, March 29, 2005/Notices

identify any new issues, (3) answer
questions from interested parties, and
(4) update the public on the remainder
of the review process. This meeting was
considered a formal consultation with
the seven Basin States, interested parties
and stakeholders, as well as
government -to-government consultation
with tribal representatives as described
in the November 3, 2004, Federal
Register notice.
During the comment period ending
December 6, 2004, written comments
were received from 11 interested
parties. The names of the parties that
provided comments, as well as the
corresponding number assigned by
Reclamation to the comment letter, are
as follows:
17. Sierra Club, High Country
Citizens' Alliance.
18. Upper Colorado River
Commission.
19. Friends of Lake Powell.
20. Bryon C. Johns.
21. State of Utah, Department of
Natural Resources, Division of Water
Resources.
22. Page Electric Utility.
23. Colorado Water Conservation
Board, State of Colorado.
24. City of Page, Arizona.
25. Grand Canyon Trust.
26. Metropolitan Water District of
Southern California.
27. Colorado River Board of
California.
The additional comment letters were
reviewed for identification of and
analysis of the issues. Responses to all
of the comments received, as well as the
corresponding number ofthe party that
made the comment, are provided under
the Synopsis of Comments and
Responses section of this notice.
Following analysis of all comments
received as a result of this review, the
National Environmental Policy Act was
applied to the Secretary's proposed final
decision. It was determined that the
proposed modifications to the text of the
Operating Criteria were administrative
in nature and did not constitute a major
federal action significantly affecting the
quality of the human environment.
Therefore, a Categorical Exclusion was
prepared by Reclamation.
Background: The Operating Criteria,
promulgated pursuant to section 602 of
the 1968 Colorado River Basin Project
Act (Pub. L. 90-537), were published in
the Federal Register on June 10, 1970
(35 FR 8951). In order to comply with
and carry out the provisions of the
Colorado River Compact, the Upper
Colorado River Basin Compact, and the
Mexican Water Treaty, the Operating
Criteria provide for the coordinated
long-range operation of the reservoirs

constructed and operated under the
authority of the Colorado River Storage
Project Act, the Boulder Canyon Project
Act, and the Boulder Canyon Project
Adjustment Act. The Operating Criteria
state that the Secretary will sponsor a
formal review of the Operating Criteria
at least every five years with
participation by Colorado River Basin
State representatives as each Governor
may designate and other parties and
agencies as the Secretary may deem
appropriate. As required by Public Law
102-575 (the Grand Canyon Protection
Act of 1992), the Secretary also consults
in this review process with the general
public including representatives of
academic and scientific communities,
environmental organizations, the
recreation industry, and contractors for
the purchase of federal power produced
at Glen Canyon Dam.
Previous reviews of the Operating
Criteria were conducted in 1975, 1980,
1985,1990, and 1995. These reviews
did not propose any changes to the
Operating Criteria. Prior to 1990,
reviews were conducted primarily
through meetings with and
correspondence among representatives
of the seven Basin States and
Reclamation. Because the long-range
operation of Colorado River reservoirs is
important to many agencies and
individuals, in 1990, through an active
public involvement process,
Reclamation expanded the review of the
Operating Criteria to include all
interested stakeholders. A team
consisting of Reclamation staff from Salt
Lake City, Utah, and Boulder City,
Nevada, was organized to conduct the
1995 review. For the current review,
Reclamation staff from Boulder City and
Salt Lake City followed a similar public
process.
The scope of the review has been
consistent with the statutory purposes
of the Operating Criteria which are "to
comply with and carry out the
provisions of the Colorado River
Compact, Upper Colorado River Basin
Compact, and Mexican Water Treaty"
43 U.S.c. 1552(a). Long-range
operations generally refer to the
planning of reservoir operations over
several decades, as opposed to the
Annual Operating Plan which details
specific reservoir operations for the next
operating year, as required by 43 U.S.C.
1552(b).
Modifications to the Operating
Criteria: As a result of this review, the
following modifications will be made to
the Operating Criteria (additions are
shown bolded inside of less than or
greater than signs < > and deletions are
shown bolded inside of brackets []):

Long-Range Operating Criteria

Amended March 21, 2005

Criteria for Coordinated Long-Range
Operation of Colorado River Reservoirs
Pursuant to the Colorado River Basin
Project Act of September 30, 1968 (Pub.
L. 90-537)

These Operating Criteria are
promulgated in compliance with section
602 of Public Law 90-537. They are to
control the coordinated long-range
operation of the storage reservoirs in the
Colorado River Basin constructed under
the authority of the Colorado River
Storage Act (hereinafter "Upper Basin
Storage Reservoirs") and the Boulder
Canyon Project Act (Lake Mead). The
Operating Criteria will be administered
consistent with applicable Federal laws,
the Mexican Water Treaty, interstate
compacts, and decrees relating to the
use of the waters of the Colorado River.
The Secretary of the Interior
(hereinafter the "Secretary") may
modify the Operating Criteria from time
to time in accordance with section
602(b) of Pub. L. 90-537. The Secretary
will sponsor a formal <public> review
of the Operating Criteria at least every
5 years, with participation by State
representatives as each Governor may
designate and such other parties and
agencies as the Secretary may deem
appropriate.

I. Annual Report

(1) On [January 1, 1972, and on]
January 1 of each year [thereafter], the
Secretary shall transmit to the Congress
and to the Governors of the Colorado
River Basin States a report describing
the actual operation under the adopted
criteria for the preceding compact water
year and the projected plan of operation
for the current year.
(2) The plan of operation shall
include such detailed rules and
quantities as may be necessary and
consistent with the criteria contained
herein, and shall reflect appropriate
consideration of the uses of the
reservoirs for all purposes, including
flood control, river regulation, beneficial
consumptive uses, power production,
water quality control, recreation,
enhancement of fish and wildlife, and
other environmental factors. The
projected plan of operation may be
revised to reflect the current hydrologic
conditions, and the Congress and the
Governors of the Colorado River Basin
States be advised of any changes by June
of each year.

II. Operation of Upper Basin Reservoirs

(1) The annual plan of operation shall
include a determination by the
Secretary of the quantity of water