Arizona Seeks to Resolves Colorado River Disagreement

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Arizona Department of Water Resources 3550 North Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85012 Janet Napolitano, Governor (602) 771 -8500 www.azwater.gov NEWS RELEASE Herb Guenther, Director For immediate release October 3, 2007 Public Information Office (602) 7718430 Arizona seeks to resolve Colorado River disagreement Negotiations on the operation of the Colorado River are at a critical crossroad, and Arizona has asked Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to help mediate the disagreements. In letters sent to Kempthorne and representatives of the Seven Basin States today, Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Herb Guenther also asked Interior to extend the proposed schedule until the parties have a chance to reach an agreement. The Secretary is scheduled to release a Final Environmental Impact Statement at the end of October, with a final Record of Decision to be issued at the end of December. "We believed we had a workable agreement when we sent the set of proposed guidelines to the Secretary on April 30 that was signed by all seven Colorado River Basin States," Guenther said. In the interim, however, Upper Basin representatives insisted on constraints that could reduce the amount of water released annually from Lake Powell into Lake Mead. Under the Law of the River, each basin is allocated up to 7.5 million acre -feet (maf) of water each year. An additional 1.5 maf is allocated under treaty to Mexico. The Upper and Lower Basin states share equally in meeting the Mexican treaty allocation. Arizona is willing to accommodate its neighbors so long as it does not harm Arizona water users, Guenther emphasized. But he said representatives of the Upper Basin insist on an interpretation of the proposed guidelines that could put Arizona's 2.8 maf allocation at risk of shortage during years when Lake Powell is high and Lake Mead is low. The April agreement permits any party to invoke consultation with the Secretary of the Interior. "We don't know what the Secretary will decide to do," Guenther added. "We hope he will understand the issue and help us resolve our dilemma." Arizona believes the help of the Secretary in mediating the disagreement is essential to reaching a well- considered decision, Guenther said. "A failure to resolve this dispute will seriously jeopardize any cooperative approach to management of the Colorado River." For additional information, contact: Tom Carr ADWR Assistant Director, Statewide Planning 602 771 -8524