BOARD00320 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

The States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming Governor's Representatives on Colorado River Operations . February 3, 2006 Honorable Gale A. Norton, Secretary Department of the Interior 1849 C. Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20240 Re: Development of Lower Basin Shortage Guidelines and Coordinated Management Strategies for the Operation of Lake Mead and Lake Powell Under Low Reservoir Conditions Dear Secretary Norton: The materials attached to this letter contain descriptions of the programs that the seven Colorado River Basin States suggest be included within the scope of the environmental impact statement (BIS) for the proposed Colorado River Reservoir Operations: Development of Lower Basin Shortage Guidelines and Coordinated Management Strategies for Loke Powell and Loke Mead Under Low Reservoir Conditions (70 Fed. Reg. 57322) (Sept. 30, 2005). . The Basin States, Bureau of Reclamation and others have consulted regularly since our previous cOlTespondence on August 25, 2005 to further discuss and refme recommended management strategies for the Colorado River system. Subsequently, individual entities within the seven Basin States submitted oral and written comments to the Bw'eau of Reclamation on the above- referenced EIS process. Attachment A, "Seven Basin States' Preliminary Proposal Regarding Colorado River Interim Operations," is submitted as a consensus document on behalf of the seven Basin States. Please recognize that the States are still actively working on the matters addressed in this submission and anticipate further refinement. Our recommendation is designed to provide input for the Department's consideration as it develops additional operational and water accounting procedures to: .1) delay the onset and minimize the extent and duration of shOltages in the Lower Division States; 2) maximize the protection afforded the Upper Division States by storage in Lake Powell against possible curtailment of Upper Basin uses; 3) provide for more efficient, flexible, responsive and reliable operation of the system reservoirs for the benefit of both the Upper and Lower Basins by developing additional system water supplies through extraordinary conservation, system efficiency and augmentation projects; 4) allow the continued development and use of the Colorado River resource in both the Upper and Lower Basins; and 5) allow for development of dedicated water supplies through participation in improvements to system efficiency and clarification of how to proceed with development of non-system water reaching the Lower Basin .