Correspondence 1991-1992 Including Draft MOU's

Home Browse Search

DRAFT Mr. Gerald R. Zimmerman Executive Director Colorado River Board of California 770 Fairmont Avenue, Suite 1000 Glendale, CA 91203-1035 Dear Mr. Zimmerman: The State of wishes to thank you for the excellent work that you and your member organization dial in completing the Conceptional Approach document that we discussed on August 28, 1991. The document was well thought out, responsive to our discussions of ,dune 24, 25 in Torrance, California and very professionally prepared. We commend you and your staff for thy_ efforts. We support your concern about the United States not being responsive to the Mexican Treaty obligation or the timely replacement of the Welton Mohawk drain flows. We have also agreed to work with California and the other Basin States thorough the process of development of Annual Operation Plans to identify ways to use the water of the Colorado River in such a way as to provide optimal benefits to the Seven Basin States. We do have concerns, however, about your apparent definition of surplus conditions as defined in Paragraph I on page 8. This definition could be interpreted to mean that only two conditions could exist for the river system at present, i.e., "shortage" (Glen Canyon below 602(a) and Mead unable to meet 7.5 MAF plus Loner Basin Mexican obligation) and "surplus ". Some range of reservoir conditions must exist that represent "normal" conditions. These conditions must and will be determined through our continued deliberations on the AOP process. We appreciate your willingness to identify a magnitude and time frame for California's capability of returning to 4.4 MAF deliveries from the Colorado River under times of normal declarti.ons. California's over - deliveries for an additional 20 -plus years may be longer than can be agreed to but we appreciate your commitment to achieving a 75% reduction within eight years. Your concept of escrow account distributions may be acceptable pending determinations that we can accept such revenues without additional legislative authorizations or invoking interstate commerce clause violation. Methods of compensation, other than financial, should also be explored prior to finaliza- tion of any such agreement.