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Agenda Item 11 Water Supply Determination: for 'Navajo: Reservoir, <br /> • New Mexico <br /> In his discussion on this item, Mr. McDonald referred to his <br /> February 9, 1984 , memo to the Board (Appendix H attached) . <br /> Mr. McDonald pointed out that long-term contracts for the <br /> sale of water to New Mexico from Navajo Reservoir cannot be made <br /> until the Secretary of the Interior has made a determination that <br /> sufficient water to fulfill said contracts is reasonably likely to <br /> be available for use in New Mexico. <br /> One such determination was approved in 1968 and has served <br /> as the basis for water service contracts extending to the year <br /> 2005. New Mexico has now requested a new determination so that <br /> contracts can be extended to the year 2040. . <br /> A determination as to the availability of water under long- <br /> term water service contracts for municipal and industrial uses <br /> from Navajo Reservoir involves a projection into the future of <br /> estimated water uses and supplies. On the basis of the BR' s <br /> hydrologic investigation, water depletions under municipal and <br /> industrial contracts from Navajo Reservoir could reasonably be <br /> allowed to rise to 69,000 acre-feet annually through the year 2039. <br /> Mr. McDonald stated that he is not completely comfortable <br /> with the determination using this procedure and would like to <br /> • recommend to the Board that it do two things. First, write a <br /> letter to the BR commenting on the draft determination and, <br /> second, prepare a draft resolution and position for the Upper <br /> Colorado River Commission to consider. <br /> The major points in this context would be as follows: <br /> 1. The Board understands that the determinationmakes no =- <br /> critical interpretations of the compacts and would offer no objec- <br /> tions if this is the case and the document includes the standard <br /> disclaimers. <br /> 2. The Board recognizes that the assumptions made do not <br /> reflect the Upper Basin positon on deliveries at Lee Ferry. The <br /> exact language hasn't been worked out but would be in line with <br /> comments made by both New Mexico and Wyoming in the attached <br /> letters. <br /> 3. The depletion projections aren't acceptable to the Board <br /> given the BR' s assumptions. The BR shows that Colorado will run <br /> out of water in 2040. Colorado would run out of water a lot <br /> sooner if projects due the state were built sooner; namely, Savery- <br /> Pot Hook, West Divide, Fruitland-Mesa, and San Miguel. Thus, it <br /> isn't acceptable to carry Colorado' s development all the way to <br /> the year 2040, especially in light of the funding proposals the <br /> state is making. However, this problem can be solved for now by <br /> -9- <br />