7905

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7905
• Author: U.S. Department of the Interior.
• Title: Quality of Water, Colorado River Basin.
• USFW Year: 1995.
• USFW - Doc Type: Progress Report No. 17,
• Copyright Material: NO

Lake Havasu Irrigation and Drainage District-Contracts exist with Lake
Havasu Irrigation and Drainage District for an annual diversion of up to
14,500 acre-feet. In 1993, Lake Havasu Irrigation and Drainage District diverted
about 12,700 acre-feet.

Central Arizona Project-The Colorado River Basin Project Act authorizes the
Central Arizona Project to furnish irrigation and municipal water supplies to the
water deficient areas of Arizona and western New Mexico through direct diversion or
exchange of water. The project started delivering water to Tucson in 1992. This
project provides water to Indian lands and a replacement water supply to non-Indian
lands now being irrigated. Water made available to non-Indian lands can be used only
on lands having a recent irrigation history. The Central Arizona Project must
withstand shortages up to its full allocation if there is insufficient mainstream water
to satisfy an annual consumptive use of 7.5 million acre-feet apportioned under the
Supreme Court Decree of March 1964 to the States of Nevada, Arizona, and
California. When shortages occur, diversions to the Central Arizona Project will be
limited to ensure senior priority right holders of their entitled diversions from the
Colorado River mainstream water. A maximum of 2.17 million acre-feet of Colorado
River water is all that could be diverted with a canal capacity of 3,000 cubic feet per
second.

In 1993, about 1,025,000 acre-feet were diverted. Predictions for depletions vary;
however, an estimated full depletion level of about 1.5 million acre-feet per year can be
expected by 2035.

Colorado River Indian Reservation-The Colorado River Indian Reservation is
located along the Colorado River, just below Parker Dam, with most of the land in
Arizona and the remainder in California. The Supreme Court Decree allocated
717,148 acre-feet of diversions to the Colorado River Indian Reservation for irrigation
of 107,588 acres ofland. There are 99,375 acres ofland in Arizona, of which about
76,000 acres have been developed. The Bureau of Indian Affairs has reported a
general 2,000-acre-per-year land development rate on the reservation in the past. The
land development rate of 2,000 acres per year was assumed for the future even though
the Bureau of Indian Affairs feels the land development rate may slow in the near
future. In 1993, the Colorado River Indian Reservation consumptive use waa about
372,000 acre-feet in Arizona.

Cibola Wildlife Refuge-The Cibola Wildlife Refuge has a water right reserved by a
Secretary of the Interior notice in the Federal Register, December 9, 1982, for 16,973
acre-feet of consumptive use per year. In 1993, the Cibola Wildlife Refuge diverted
about 12,000 acre-feet.

Gila Project-The Gila Project was originally authorized to develop up to
600,000 acre-feet of consumptive use. It is now estimated that the acreage likely to be
developed will consume about 426,750 acre-feet per year. The Gila Project includes
the Well ton-Mohawk and Yuma Mesa Divisions. The Well ton-Mohawk Irrigation and
Drainage District, which is now authorized to develop 65,000 acres, is anticipated to
consume 300,000 acre-feet. In 1988, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Water Rights
Settlement Act was enacted which provides for a reduction in the Wellton-Mohawk
Irrigation and Drainage District's entitlement to Colorado River water to

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