BOARD00289

• Board Meeting Date: 3/21/2002
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Colorado River Coordinated Long-Range Operating Criteria Five Year Review
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department ofN atura! Resources
1313 Sherrilan Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

TO:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

FROM:

Randy Seaholm ~
Chief, Water Supply Protection

Dan McAn1lffe
Deputy Director

DATE: March 12,2002

SUBJECT: Agenda Item lSf March 21-2;t, 2002 Board Meeting -
Colorado River Basin Issues
Colorado River Coordinated Long-Range Operating Criteria
Five Year Review

Introduction

The Criteria for the Coordinated Long-Range Operation of Colorado River Reservoirs
(Operating Criteria) promulgated pursuant to tbe Colorado River Basin Project Act (Public Law 90-
537), were published in the Federal Register ov. June 10, 1970. The Operating Criteria provide for
the coordinated long-range operation of Colorado River reservoirs constructed and operated under
the authority of the Colorado River Storage Project Act, the Boulder Canyon Project Act and the
Boulder Canyon Project Adjustment Act for the purposes of complying with and carrying out the
provisions of the Colorado River Compact, the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact, and the
Mexican Water Treaty. The Operating Criteria provide that they will be reviewed at least at 5-year
intervals with the participation of such State representatives as each Governor may designate and
such other parties and agencies as the Secretary of Interior may deem appropriate. Public Law 90-
537 allows the Secretary of Interior, as a result of actual operating experiences or unforeseen
circumstances, to modify the Operating Criteria to better achieve their specified statutory purposes.

Previous reviews of the Operating Criteria were initiated in 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, and 1996.
The last review was not completed until 1997 because California had desires for more liberal surplus
criteria. Ultimately, each review has resulted iv. no changes to the Operating Criteria.

Discussion

Flood Protection. Water Supply PlanI1ing and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning