BOARD00320

• Board Meeting Date: 3/21/2006
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Update on 7-State Proposal to Reclamation
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

8.

3,

600,000 acre foot shortage: In years when Lake Mead content is projected
on January 1 to be below 1025 ft., a quantity of 600,000 acre-feet shall not
be released or delivered in the Lower Division States and Mexico.

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4. The three conditions described above are illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 2

Lake Mead Steo Shortage
Mead Mead
Elevation (ft) Steooed Shortage Live Storage
1075 to 1050 400 kaf 9.37 to 7.47 maf
_______w_______________.._____.____._____
<1050 to 1025 500 kaf 7.47 to 5.80 maf
"'-.--.----------------------------------
<1025 to 1000 600 kaf 5.80 to 4.33 maf
<1000 Increased reductions to be <4.33 maf
consistent with consultation(s)

5.

The United States, through the appropriate mechanisms, should implement
a shortage pursuant to Article 10 of the 1944 Treaty in any year in which
the Secretary has declared that a shortage condition exists pursuant to Art.
I1(B)(3) of the Decree. The total quantity of water that will not be
released or delivered to Mexico shall be based on Lower Basin water
deliveries during nonnal water supply conditions. The proportion ofthe
shortage that shall be borne by Mexico will be 17% (1.5 maf /9 mafx
100%= 17%).

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6. Arizona and Nevada will share shortages based on a shortage sharing
agreement In the event that no agreement has been reached, Arizona and
Nevada will share shortages in accordance with the 1968 Colorado River
Basin Project Act, the Decree, other existing law as applicable, and the
Interstate Banking Agreement between Arizona and Nevada parties.

7. Whenever Lake Mead reaches elevationl025 ft" the Secretary will consult
with the States to detennine whether Colorado River hydrologic
conditions, together with the delivery of 8.4 million acre-feet of Colorado
River water to Lower Basin users and Mexico, will cause the elevation of
Lake Mead to fall below 1000 ft. Upon such a detennination, the
Secretary shall consult with the states to discuss further measures that may
be undertaken to avoid or reduce further increases in shortage
detenninations. If increased reductions are required, the Secretary shall
implement the reductions consistent with the law of the river.

The States will evaluate factors at critical elevations that may avoid
shortage detenninations as reservoir elevations approach critical
thresholds. The States may provide operational recommendations
surrounding the critical elevations at some later date.

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