9416

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9416
• Author: U.S. Department of the Interior.
• Title: Annual Operating Plan for Colorado River Reservoirs 1997.
• USFW Year: 1997.
• USFW - Doc Type: Washington, D.C.
• Copyright Material: NO

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. .

. period. Since lake elevations will be typical of previous years, normal conditions are
expected for boating and other recreational uses.

Reclamation is the lead agency in the Native Fish Work Group, a multi-agency group of
scientists.attempting to augment the aging stock of endangered razorback suckers in Lake
Mohave. Larval suckers are captured by hand in and around spawning areas during the .
spring and placed into predator-free, lake-side backwaters for rearing through the spring and
summer. When the lake is nonnaIly drawn down during the faIl, these fish are harvested
from these rearing areas and then released to the lake. The suckers grow very quickly,
usually exceeding eight inches in length ~y September.

Senator Wash and Laguna Reservoirs

Operations at Senator Wash Reservoir allow regulation of water deliveries to United States
water users and Mexico downstream at Imperial Dam. The reservoir is operated to meet .
water user demands when necessary and to prevent Colorado River flows from exceeding
Mexican Treaty requirements at Morelos Dam. This includes excess flows in the river
C811sed by water user cutbacks and sidewash inflows. Operational objectives at and below
Imperial Dam are to meet water user demands, to conserve water, to control sediment, and to
maintain the river channel.

Releases from Imperial Dam are regulated by Laguna Reservoir to conserve water, to meet
all or part of Mexico's water demands, and to maintain river flows downstream near Yuma
Laguna releases combined with agricultural seepage and drainage provide a continuous live
stream serving recreational and fish and wildlife purposes. Larger releases from Laguna
Dam are generally due to excess water from rain, flooding upstream, or from rejected water
orders due to rain. These higher releases serve to maintain the river channel capacity. This
occasional practice reduces channel maintenance expense without impainnent of water
conservation or power production.

Yuma Desalting Plant

The Yuma Desalting Plant was not operated in 1996, and will not be operated in 1997.
Funding is currendy not available for full-scale operation. Most of the damage to the Main
Outlet Drain (MOD), the Main Outlet Drain Extension (MODE). and the bypass drain from
the 1993 Gila River flood has been repaired. Some damage to the MODE near the Gila
River confluence will be repaired at a later date. The WeUton-Mohawk Main Conveyance
Canal was repaired in 1994. All Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District drainage
flows should be diverted into the MODE in 1997.

The test train, used for research and the building's water service, will be TUn throughout
1997. The test train uses about one million gallons per day of drainage water taken from the
MODE or pumped from an on-site well.

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