Minutes Jan 200 CBRT final

• Basin Roundtable: Colorado
• Title: Colorado basin January 08 Minutes
• Date: 1/28/2008
• Basin Roundtables - Doc Type: Minutes

irrigation efficiency, landowners must prove to the State Engineer that improving the efficiency
of irrigation systems will not decrease return flows.
10. 10825 Study Group -The hydrologic and aquatic effects of releasing 2,700 acre feet from
Granby Reservoir toward the 10,825 acre feet requirement was studied as part of the alternatives
analysis. If 20 to 30 additional cfs was released from Granby Reservoir, this would double the
flow of the Colorado River just below the reservoir during August and September. The viability
of Granby as a source of 10825 Water has not been determined. A decision by the east and west
slope water providers regarding which alternative(s) to study further may be made during 2008.
11. Energy Use Subcommittee. Participants at the Colorado Water Congress Meeting discussed the
projected water needed to develop oil shale, and the participants are looking forward to the report
from the Energy Use Subcommittee. Tlus will be discussed at the Febn~ary CBRT meeting. A
URS geologist at the Water Congress mentioned that Western Slope well owners are seeing
additional dissolved solids in their wells, which may be resulting from additional energy
development activity. There is a fear that water used for additional energy development could
cause salt plumes to migrate toward the Colorado River.
12. CWCB Report. The grant requests which the CBRT approved in December were forwarded to
the CWCB. Todd Doherty of the CWCB mentioned that there are more grant requests from
other roundtables, and that the process is becoming more competitive.
13. Scott Balcomb, discussion of Upper Colorado River Commission and recent Colorado
River Compact negotiations to manage with a shortage of the Colorado River.
a. Upper Colorado River Commission. Scott Balcomb, an attorney in Glenwood Springs, has
represented Colorado on the Upper Colorado River Commission (UCRC) since 1998, and he
recently took part in the negotiations regarding Colorado River shortage criteria that resulted in a
Record of Decision was signed in Las Vegas in December 2007. He succeeded Jim Lochhead as
the Governor's appointee to represent Colorado on the Seven Colorado River Basin States
committee.
b. Colorado River Compact history. The 1922 Colorado River Compact based decisions on
allocating Colorado River flow based on the belief that the river produced about 17.5 nullion
acre feet. The river was split between the Upper Basin and the Lower Basin at Lee Ferry. Each
basin was given depletion of 7.5 million acre feet. The Lower Basin was allowed another 1
million acre feet to account for tributary depletions. The surplus was to go to Mexico. In 1944, a
treaty deternned this to be 1.5 nullion acre feet.
Since the Upper Basin states had to commit to delivering 75 maf every 10 years, that gave
the Lower Basin states a de facto priority call on the Colorado River.
Ten year average. Since it is impossible to forecast when droughts occur, the Upper Basin states
are required to deliver 75 maf on a n~mling 10-year average. Water is stored in Lake Powell for
delivery to Lower Basin states. The last time Lake Powell spilled was 1998, and it is now less
than 50% fiill. The mm~ing average has always been met.
d. Shortage criteria. Between 1990 and 2001, the Upper Basin and Lower Basin states negotiated
an agreement to divide surplus water in the river system. As soon as the ii~lc was dry, the 2002
drought hit. Subsequently, Interior Secretary Gale Norton started a process to create shortage
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