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<br />INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />Authority <br /> <br />This 1998 annual operating plan (AOP) was developed in accordance with Section 602 of The <br />Colorado River Basin Project Act (Public Law 90-537), and the Criteria for Coordinated Long- <br />Range Operation of Colorado River Reservoirs Pursuant to the Colorado River Basin Project <br />Act of September 30, 1968 (Operating Criteria), promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior <br />pursuant thereto and other applicable statutes. In accordance with The Colorado River Basin <br />Project Act and the Operating Criteria, the AOP must be developed and administered consistent <br />with applicable Federal laws, The Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and <br />of the Rio Grande, Treaty Between the United States of America and Mexico, signed February 3, <br />1944 (1944 Mexican Water Treaty), interstate compacts, court decrees, and other documents <br />relating to the use of the waters of the Colorado River, which are commonly and collectively <br />known as "The Law of the River." <br /> <br />The Operating Criteria and Section 602 of The Colorado River Basin Project Act mandates <br />consultation with representatives of the Governors of the seven Basin States and such other <br />parties as the secretary may deem appropriate in preparing the annual plan for operation of the <br />Colorado River reservoirs. In addition, The Grand Canyon Protection Act of 1992 (Title XVIII <br />of Public Law 102-575) requires consultation to include the general public and others. <br />Accordingly, the 1998 AOP was prepared by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) in <br />consultation with the seven Basin States Governors' representatives~ the Upper Colorado River <br />Commission; appropriate Federal agencies; representatives of the academic and scientific <br />communities, environmental organizations, and the recreation industry; contractors for the <br />purchase of Federal power; others interested in Colorado River operations~ and the general <br />public~ through the Colorado River Management Work Group. <br /> <br />Purpose <br /> <br />The purposes of the AOP are to determine: (I) the projected operation of the Colorado River <br />reservoirs to satisfy project purposes under varying hydrologic and climatic conditions; (2) the <br />quantity of water considered necessary as of September 30, 1998, to be in storage in the Upper <br />Basin reservoirs as required by Section 602(a) of The Colorado River Basin Project Act; (3) <br />water available for delivery pursuant to the 1944 Mexican Water Treaty and Minute No. 242 of <br />the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico (mWC); (4) <br />whether the reasonable consumptive use requirements of mainstream users in the Lower <br />Division States will be met under a "normal," "surplus," or "shortage" condition as outlined in <br />ArtiCle III of the Operating Criteria~ and (5) whether water apportioned to, but unused by one <br />or more Lower Division States exists and can be used to satisfy beneficial consumptive use <br />requests of mainstream users in other Lower Division States as provided in the 1964 U.S. <br />Supreme Court decree in Arizona v. California. <br /> <br />September 3, 1997 <br /> <br />1 <br />