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1.4. Water Rights Administration and Operations <br />The primary call on the river during the irrigation season, the Cameo call, is located in the Grand <br />Valley Area where some of the most senior water rights in the basin exist. This call is activated if the <br />combined flows at the Cameo gage (USGS gage 09095500) and the Plateau Creek gage (USGS gage <br />09105000) fall below 2,260 cubic feet per second (cfs). The other significant call that affects the <br />entire basin is at Shoshone Power Plant, located eight miles downstream of the Dotsero gage (USGS <br />gage 09070500). Senate Document 80 stipulates how water should be administered to satisfy <br />demands at this location. <br />Two distinct periods revolving around Green Mountain Reservoir operations with respect to the <br />Shoshone call define the historical water rights administration in the Upper Colorado River basin. <br />Prior to 1985, the division engineer administered the river according to a strict interpretation of <br />Senate Document 80. If flows fell below the 1,250 cfs minimum at the Dotsero gage, all <br />transmountain diversions were curtailed or replaced. If streamflow in the Upper Colorado River did <br />not satisfy the Shoshone call, Green Mountain Reservoir would release water to satisfy the shortage. <br />Following the publication of a new operating policy at Green Mountain and a restructuring of its <br />reservoir accounts in 1984, the administration policy described above was revised. From 1985 <br />forward, the division engineer began operating Green Mountain Reservoir as a true replacement <br />facility to Western Slope beneficiaries. In addition, transmountain diversions senior to the Shoshone <br />call were able to divert in priority. This change in policy triggered earlier releases than previously <br />observed from Green Mountain Reservoir. <br />Upper Colorado River Basin Information 1-6 <br />