BOARD00531

• Board Meeting Date: 5/7/1969
• Description: Agenda or Table of Contents, Minutes, Memos
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

on the report. I think it is significant to
note in the report that Lake Powell is ex-
pected to rise above its rated power head
this year. We are releasing water in excess
of 7~ million acre-feet of water annually,
in order to make up the deficiency which has I
been occasioned by the low releases at the
time the gates at the dam were closed. How-
ever, this means that for the next three years
we will be getting ahead of the game somewhat.
These additional releases also count on every
future consecutive ten-year period.

What we will watch with considerable
interest is the effect of the filling criteria
which were enunciated in the Colorado River
Basin Project Act last year. That act pro-
vides that after we have released 75,000,000
acre-feet in any ten-year period (that's
the first obligation of Glen Canyon ~eser-
voir) that thereafter the levels of Lake
Mead and Lake Powell will remain in equal
ratio. That is, they cannot draw Lake Powell
down any lower, as far as the capacity is
concerned, than Lake Mead is drawn down.
This will be a radical departure from any
filling criteria heretofore in effect. We
will follow that matter closely to be sure
that the criteria enunciated in last year's
act is complied with."

MR. I<ROEGER:

"This is going to be quite complex. Is
that right, Larry?"

MR. SPARKS:

"This will be very complex. We can
foresee a considerable number of problems in
connection with it, particularly if we have
a below normal runoff in the next few years.
This could lead to a critical situation as
far as both reservoirs are concerned.

I

You might have noted also in this report
that previously the estimate of the runoff of
the Colorado was above normal. That is, at
the end of March the forecast was for about