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systems, facilities control, water quality analysis, electrical and mechanical maintenance,
<br />hydrology, property management, and procurement.
<br />As originally designed, the Closed Basin Division was to salvage between 60,000 and 100,000
<br />acre-feet of water from the Closed Basin sump area. Historically, however, the Project has
<br />produced a maximum of 45,000 acre-feet per year, and delivered a maximum of 39,000 acre-feet
<br />per year to the Rio Grande. The historical yield of the Project has been a function both of the
<br />need for water to help meet Colorado's Compact commitment and lower than expected
<br />production from the salvage wells. Historical annual production and deliveries from the Project
<br />are provided in Table 1.
<br /> Table 1
<br />Year Total Compact Mitigation
<br /> Production Credit Deliveries
<br /> (1) (2) (3)
<br />1986 3,703 24 3,679
<br />1987 6,194 894 5,300
<br />1988 24,428 11,772 4,454
<br />1989 30,579 23,120 2,750
<br />1990 28,340 17,370 2,750
<br />1991 27,279 17,640 2,740
<br />1992 24,190 17,130 3,900
<br />1993 39,130 31, 380 5,160
<br />1994 24,728 18,260 5,300
<br />1995 20,971 14,140 5,300
<br />1996 31,097 22,830 5,300
<br />1997 44,523 38,997 4,060
<br />1998 36,028 29,986 4,004
<br />(1) Includes losses and deliveries to San Luis Lake and/or Head Lake
<br />(2) Includes creditable and non-creditable deliveries
<br />(3) Does not include exchanges and/or substitutions
<br />The yield of the Closed Basin Division is broken down into several different priority delivery
<br />classes. Priority 1 water includes water that is delivered to the Rio Grande for Compact
<br />purposes. Deliveries of Priority 1 water may not exceed 600,000 acre-feet in any 10 consecutive
<br />years. Priority 2 water includes 5,300 acre-feet delivered annually to the Alamosa National
<br />Wildlife Refuge and the Blanca Wildlife Habitat Area for wildlife mitigation purposes. Priority 3
<br />water was applied to reduce and eliminate any accumulated deficit in Compact deliveries that
<br />existed when the Project's authorizing legislation was enabled. Priority 4 water is made available
<br />at a charge from unused supply for general use by Rio Grande and Conejos water users after
<br />Priority 1 and Priority 2 users have been satisfied. Since the Project first began delivering water
<br />in 1986, discussions between the Operating Committee and other Federal interests have
<br />determined how to apportion the lower than expected yield.
<br />Determination of how much water to pump from the Project is made through collaborative
<br />efforts of the State (Division 3), the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Operating Committee.
<br />Meetings of the Operating Committee usually occur during the spring and fall, and often more
<br />frequently. Discussions include uncertainties in forecasted river flows, current climate conditions
<br />and Compact delivery status. The Bureau ultimately decides appropriate pumping levels and
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