15d_Directors Report

• Board Meeting Date: 7/21/2009
• Description: Directors' Report - CWCB Director
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

~ARKANSAS RIVER BASIN~
TRINIDAD PROJECT -
At the beginning of June CWCB staff and the Div. 2 Engineer sub mitted
comment letters on Reclamation’s draft report on the Ten Year Review of the Operating Principles for the
Trinidad Project covering the period 1995 – 2004. Kansas and the Purgatoire River WCD also submitted
comments. Reclamation is committed to qui ckly completing the review process, but the divergent
comments will require the issuance of a new draft and further discussion between the interested parties
prior to finalization of the review. The CWCB comments suggested that Reclamation develop a new
o ngoing process for discussion of project issues so that future reviews are less contentious and more
focused on the intended purpose of maximizing the beneficial use of project water supplies while also
protecting downstream water users. (Steve Miller)
SUR FACE WATER IRRIGATION CONSUMPTIVE USE RULES -
State Engineer Dick
Wolfe will update the Board on the content and process for adopting theses new rules designed to offset
any increased consumptive use of through modernization of surface water supplied irrig ation systems.
Increase CU would be a potential violation of the Arkansas River Compact. To assist in bringing Basin
irrigators into compliance with the new rules we are utilizing $250,000 of funds provided in the 2009
Projects Bill. In the first phase we have reached agreement with the Lower Arkansas Valley WCD on
$100,000 of technical services they will utilize to develop a model compliance plan which irrigators can
evaluate prior to the rules being introduced to better understand how the rules will im pact their
operations. (Steve Miller)
~COLORADO RIVER BASIN~
COLORADO RIVER ANNUAL OPERATING PLAN (AOP) -
The initial draft of the AOP has
been released and the first consultation meeting held on June 25th. Under normal or average conditions
the AOP ind icates that Lake Powell will operate in the Upper Balancing Tier and is anticipated to release
approximately 10.5 million acre - feet. Lake Mead will be governed by the Intentionally Created Surplus
(ICS) criteria and absent the creation or utilization of I CS will release between 9.2 and 9.4 million acre -
feet for downstream uses of which Mexico will receive the normal 1.5 million acre - feet. The final AOP
will be completed around the end of the year. Of particular concern in the process of late has been the
National Park Service efforts to make operations under the Grand Canyon Protection part of the AOP
rather than reported on separately as required by the Act. (Randy Seaholm)
GLEN CANYON DAM ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (GCAMP) -
The
Technical Work Group ( TWG) met on June 22 - 23. The primary focus was on the development of the
budget for the next fiscal year. The GCAMP continues to struggle with reducing the amount of research
and moving more of the budget to monitoring and the implementation of management actions. The
National Park Service continues to try and move more of the budget to their compliance and research
activities rather than be fully supportive of the GCAMP as was intended in the Act. The states need to
remain active and vigilant in the GCA MP to insure its intended purpose is fulfilled. The Adaptive
Management Work Group will meet on August 12 - 13 to consider the final budget recommendation to the
Secretary of Interior and potentially get it first opportunity to provide input on a comprehens ive
Humpback Chub management plan. (Randy Seaholm)
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CWCB Director’s Report – July 21 - 22, 2009 – Crested Butte, CO