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<br />. . <br /> <br />responsibility be reflected in the Operating Criteria by adding the phrase "and the public" <br />to the end of the second introductory paragraph. <br /> <br />Response: The Department agrees that Section 1804 of the Grand Canyon Protection Act <br />specifically modifies federal law applicable to the Operating Criteria, and by that Act, <br />Congress extended the consultation process to encompass the general public. The <br />Department has included a modification to reflect this responsibility. <br /> <br />Comment No. 16 - (Letters No.6 and 17): The Grand Canyon Protection Act (P.L. 102- <br />575) charged the Secretary with operating Glen Canyon Dam "in such a manner as to <br />protect, mitigate impacts to, and improve the values for which Grand Canyon National <br />Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area were established." We recommend that <br />the protection and enhancement of these values be inserted as reservoir uses that are <br />considered in developing the annual operating plan under Article 1(2) of the Operating <br />Criteria by adding the phrase "protection of cultural resources" after "water quality <br />control" and before "recreation" and by adding the phrase "protection and enhancement <br />of fish and wildlife" before "and other environmental factors." <br /> <br />Response: See response to Comment No; 10. <br /> <br />Comment No. 17 -(Letter No.6): Although the phrase "recurrence of critical periods of <br />water supply" that is included in Article II( 1)( d) may have been universally understood <br />when the Operating Criteria were originally established, its meaning is unclear to us. We <br />recommend that either a definition of this phrase be included in the definitions section or <br />that the entire clause beginning with the word "including" be deleted. <br /> <br />Response: The term "critical period" is used twice in the Operating Criteria. A "critical <br />period" is a general concept used in water supply planning representing a sequence of. <br />drier than average years with below normal runoff: Water supply management must <br />account for these periods of below normal runoff and their "recurrence" to assure a <br />consistent supply of water. As used in the context of Colorado River management, the <br />phrase "recurrence of critical periods" means: the frequency at which critical periods <br />(sequences of years with below normal runoff) have occurred in the past and are likely to <br />recur in the future. The Department believes that the current language in the Operating <br />Criteria is relevant and should remain in the Operating Criteria. The Department does <br />not agree that this term requires a specific definition. <br /> <br />Comment No. 18 - (Letter No.6): We question whether the "Report of the Committee <br />on Probabilities and Test Studies to the Task Force on Operating Criteria for the <br />Colorado River," dated October 30, 1969, which is referenced in Article II(l)(e) of the <br />Operating Criteria, still has relevance in determining 602(a) Storage. We request either <br />that Reclamation provide us with a copy of that report or a summary of it, or that Article <br />II( 1 )( e) be deleted from the Operating Criteria. <br /> <br />18 <br /> <br />