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River, so as to more closely mimic historic Green River flows. Releases from Flaming Gorge Dam, under the most probable scenario, in the winter and early spring months of2003 will be relatively low (approximately 800 cfs) in order to conserve reservoir storage. Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and Crystal Reservoirs (Aspinall Unit) Severe drought c~nditions prevailed in the Gunnison River Basin in water year 2002. The April through July unregulated runoff into Blue Mesa Reservoir in 2002 was only 0.157 maf (193 mcm), or 22 percent of average. Water year 2002 unregulated inflow was 0.324 maf (400 mcm), or 32 percent of average. This inflow was the lowest ever recorded since closure of Blue Mesa Dam in 1969. The low inflow caused Blue Mesa Reservoir to decrease in storage in water year 2002 by 0.322 maf (397 mcm). Storage in Blue Mesa Reservoir on September 30,2002, was 0.275 maf(339 mcm), or 33 percent of capacity. Water year 2002 powerplant bypasses were approximately 0.027 maf(33 mcm) at Crystal, all of which were the result of annual system maintenance. On August 16, 1995, Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) No. 95-07-40-R1760 was signed by the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), and Colorado Water Conservation Board. The purpose of the MOA was to provide water to the Redlands Fish Ladder and assure at least 300 cfs (8.5 cms) of flow in the 2-mile reach of the Gunnison River between the Redlands Fish Ladder and the confluence of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers (2-mile reach). This MOA was extended for an additional five years on June 30, 2000. A key provision ofthe MOA requires that the parties adopt a plan to share water shortages in dry years, when total storage at Blue Mesa Reservoir is projected to drop below 0.4 maf (493 mcm) by the end of the calendar year. Accordingly, a plan to share or allocate physical water shortages due to the extremely dry hydrological conditions occurring in the Gunnison River Basin was developed for water year 2002 and implemented among the MOA parties, along with the Colorado River Water Conservation District (CRWCD) and Redlands Water and Power Company (Redlands). Specifically, the shared shortage plan for water year 2002 recognized that Redlands would not likely have water available to satisfy its senior rights and that the Service would have insufficient water available to meet fish passage needs in the 2-mile reach of the Gunnison River downstream of the Redlands Fish Ladder. In normal years, Redlands can place its senior call for 750 cfs (21.2 cms) and the Service relies upon releases from the Aspinall Unit to provide fish passage flows in the 2-mile reach of at least 300 cfs during summer season. For water year 2002, it was agreed that Redlands would voluntarily reduce its senior river call and the Service would reduce the 2-mile reach flow requests for the period June through October. In exchange, Aspinall operations were modified to provide at least 600 cfs (17.0 cms) to Redlands and the 2-mile reach flows were maintained at reduced rates as follows: June 2002 July 2002 August 2002 September 2002 October 2002 200 cfs (5.7 cms) 250 cfs (7.1 cms) 250 cfs (7.1 cms) 100 cfs (2.8 cms) o cfs (0 cms) December 13,2002 11