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<br />78
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<br />COLORADO RIVER BA8'IN PROJECT
<br />
<br />The committee understands that the lllnguage of t.he prO\-iso j II
<br />pa nrgraph (::~) establishes speeific criteria for UlC release of \\nt,er
<br />ayailahle. in excess of eompa.ct III (c) and (d) requirements and water
<br />required to be stored Us provided in paragraphs (1), (2), and t,lIe first
<br />part of (3). Before discussing tho operating criterilt of pal'ltgruph (:3)
<br />it should he pointed out thllt during prolonged periods of low runoff
<br />there would be uo nvaill1.ble excess water und heuce these criteria
<br />would not. be applicable. During periods of high runoff und high
<br />storage eOlltent the problcillS of reservoir operat.ion dealt with in
<br />parngl'llph U~) nre nQt('ritielll l:tnd their upplic.nt.jOll \nmld not he of
<br />major signifieallce, Thw;] it is within the interrnediilte rang!'s of
<br />rUllofF lLnd storage QontenL that the criteria specified are plIrtiClJlUl']Y
<br />meaningful,
<br />.'1'h~ l;U~1;Wtg~ of pumgrH'pll .< ;:), l;lHlbodi!1''' three ~pecjfic opcruting
<br />CrIterm. Lire firB! hsted criterIOn (I) prOVIdes that If water ox cess to
<br />the rcquil'el'ncnts of parugrllph" (1) and (2) is determined io he H\'uilu-
<br />ble, it 8haJl be reIe,lsed from Lnke Powell to ille extent that. it cun 1)('
<br />rea.sonably 111Jplied iu the Lower Division States to the domestic and
<br />agricullul'nl uses specified in article IIr(e) of the Colnmdo River
<br />compact, bui no sueh releases of water will be made from Lake Powell
<br />when the ncth'o storage therein is less than the .nctive st,orage in
<br />L'Ilke 1:10,H1. .
<br />The second listed criterion (ii) has lIS its objective the distribution of
<br />ava.ilable excess. wuler in a Ullmnor that will equalize as nearly liS
<br />practicable active storage in Lake lvfeacl and Lake Powell. The
<br />committee believes that the policy, herein established, of maintaining,
<br />so fur as p(Js~ible, eqUid active Rtorage in Ll1kePoweU and Lake ;\{ead
<br />is enusistent ",-ith good operating practice and is f[1.ir Ilnd equitable I (l
<br />both the upper llnd lower basihs, ,. The committee \\"a.., udvi..,ed tflitt.
<br />a.lthough t.here Inn.;v h<.> conditions where it would be de~"irahle lind
<br />ad\'alltagelJu~ to upeJ.'llte 0"e1' IL limited period of timo iil a BHlIll1er
<br />different than that l:1pecificd in phuse (ii), purticlllarly when bot h Lake
<br />Powell lwd Lake I\{ell.o have substantial resorves of stomge, anv
<br />pr<!hlem caused by application of thisel'iterioll is noli regarded a::l
<br />serIOUS.
<br />'l'he third listed criterion' (iii) , to avoid spilling water from Lake
<br />Powell, is obviously consistent wit.h good river management.
<br />Subsection (c) of section 601 directs that section, of the Colorado
<br />River Storage Project Act (70 Stat. 109), which relates to pow.er
<br />productIon, he l1.dministeroo in accordance wlth the criterIa set out
<br />.in thiS section. This provision is app!:opriate aud necessn.rv, m the
<br />view of the. committee, in order to assure consl<;tent power operations
<br />at a.ll Federal reservoirs on the Oolorado River, and to emphasize the
<br />point that the prOdl1ction of hydroelect,ric energy is a relevant factor
<br />that mWirt be considered if the financial fellsibility of J!'ederul water
<br />resource developments in the Colorado River Basin is to bo reason-
<br />ably ilSBured, flS hereinbefore indi(~a.ted. '
<br />The conmuttee belie\'osthn-t the inclusion of the rc:::enroir oporating
<br />O1'iteria of smtioll Gal not. only will prevent lL reClin'unoo of the mis-
<br />understandings, (hat were ml~llifo:ilt in tho basin at the time the
<br />Secretary initia,tp.J the filling of Colorado River storage project
<br />r~s.ervoirs, but will n1s.o COJlstitllte a mnjor contribution to more cffi-
<br />Clent t~lld l'easollabh~ Hver Iflanagemenl.. The eomnuttee regards tile
<br />
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<br />
<br />operlltin~ cl"it,crii'
<br />terms nf the Colt
<br />Tbe cmmniHee \\
<br />is not an aU.emp
<br />c.:DllIpaei; it simp!
<br />III (e). Tho SUCt
<br />rcpresen ill, 1.i vas w
<br />follow .in operal,i
<br />Colol'ado River n
<br />
<br />Secli.on fi(j!!
<br />
<br />Tbis section is
<br />the rig-II Is (If the ;
<br />tioned to it frolll
<br />COniPa0t against 111
<br />term or long term
<br />The eomntittec W,l
<br />Upper Basin State
<br />pad 1<) the upper I
<br />l,v the temporary
<br />basin w&.ters, ~
<br />Subsection (b) 0
<br />commit.tee amend!
<br />Basin St.at;es that t
<br />arc fully protected.
<br />
<br />,S. "lion 003
<br />
<br />Seetion 60~~ is II i
<br />legislation, t.be See)
<br />the units of the Co!
<br />to be authorized a'
<br />governed b.y genel
<br />amended and supr
<br />t,hereof, :ll1d that I
<br />mcnt to the reclmn;
<br />
<br />Section (JO-i
<br />
<br />. Subseci.ion (a) of
<br />18 to be construed n:
<br />iIlterstut~ compacts
<br />Supreme Oourt def;
<br />except IlS provided j
<br />Boulder C1\uyon P;
<br />Storage Project Act.
<br />been considered by l
<br />Basin_
<br />Under tbe langua
<br />make reports witll r
<br />of water from the Ci
<br />5~ycar period stltrrh
<br />pl:epare~j in C~II1~!I] t n
<br />River (.omnllSSlOlI,
<br />Oongrt'_<;~, and to th
<br />States. Under this;
<br />
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