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During this time period, if the flow at the Shoshone Diversion Dam (WDID 530584), as <br />measured at the Dotsero stream gage (Gage 09070500), was less than 1,250 cfs, the division <br />engineer would first curtail all transmountain diversions (other than CBT) before making a <br />release from Green Mountain Reservoir. As a result of this method of administration, Green <br />Mountain typically remained reasonably full during the summer irrigation season and was drawn <br />down beginning in September and reaching its low point in storage by the end of April of the <br />following year. A significant portion of the water was being released for power generation <br />without the additional benefit of supplementing existing Western Slope irrigation uses. <br />In 1985, the division engineer began to administer the river in accordance with the priority <br />system, with the result that many of the transmountain diversions that historically had been <br />curtailed by the division engineer (Denver and Colorado Springs) were actually in priority and <br />entitled to divert. The junior rights that would be called out by the Shoshone Call and/or the <br />Cameo Call were more likely to be junior Western Slope water users. This method of <br />administration has tended to trigger an earlier release of water from the 100,000 acre-foot power <br />pool in Green Mountain Reservoir. <br />Current Operations of Historic User Pool. In addition to Shoshone, the primary call on the <br />Upper Colorado River is associated with a number of senior water rights that divert for irrigation <br />and power purposes in the Grand Valley area near Grand Junction. Collectively, the demands for <br />these rights are referred to as the Cameo Call (See separate documentation regarding these <br />rights). As described in the accompanying documentation, the magnitude of the Cameo call is <br />dependent upon operation of the Orchard Mesa Check, a facility that can be operated in a manner <br />that could reduce the call. Issues related to the operation of the Check structure are currently the <br />subject of litigation in Case No. 91CW247, the Orchard Mesa Check Case. Resolution of these <br />issues will have a significant impact on the future operations of Green Mountain Reservoir, in <br />particular, the historic user pool. <br />As part of settlement discussions in the referenced case, the USBR, in conjunction with the <br />division engineer, is to develop criteria for the operation of the historic user pool with the <br />objectives of: (1) Ensuring that sufficient water is available in Green Mountain Reservoir to meet <br />the replacement needs of the historic user pool beneficiaries; (2) Ensuring that sufficient <br />quantities of water are available in the historic user pool to meet direct delivery needs at Cameo; <br />Upper Colorado River Basin Informarion 2-7 <br />