BOARD00577

• Board Meeting Date: 9/13/2005
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Seven State Letter to Bureau of Reclamation Referencing June 16th Federal Register Notice
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

,j

.-

Agenda item 15
September 13-14, 2005 Board Meeting
Page 301'5

.

.

1. Reclamation will review the states letter and all other public comment received in
response to the June 15th Federal Register Notice.
a. They plan to move forward with formal public scoping in September.
b, Public meetings will be held in October and November; number, locations and
times yet to be determined.
c. Scoping will be completed by February 1. It was noted that the Secretary was not
likely to extend the current schedule given her mandate for completing this effort.
d. It was noted that it will not be possible to consider everything outlined in the
states letter in one NEP A process and that certain studies or even NEP A
compliance actions were already under way with respect to several of the items
identified as necessary for system efficiency improvements. There will be several
separate processes and each should acknowledge the overall scope ofthe efforts
outlined in the letter.
e. There will be follow-up discussion of how to utilize the MSCP to provide or assist
with any Biological Opinions for any of the contemplated actions.
2. The states need to break down the items in the letter and divide into smaller groups to
work on some of those matters, bringing them back to the group as a whole to work on.
It is anticipated that the Technical Workgroup studies will raise broader policy questions
for the group to discuss as well. The initial work should perhaps focus in the following
areas:
a. Work on Nevada's immediate water supply needs (Nevada Plan).
b, Conjunctive Reservoir Management Workgroup must continue.
i. Part of this effort needs to include work by a legal committee to develop a
"no-call" strategy and how to implement such. Need to evaluate how such
a strategy affects the Long-Range Operating Criteria, 602(a) storage and
equalization.
c. Precipitation Augmentation - Upper Basin needs to coordinate efforts and
develop a plan. Utah and Colorado will work on a white-paper for weather
modification efforts.
d. Arizona will take the lead on researching Tamarisk control.
e. Nevada will research Desalination issues.
f Arizona will develop a white-paper on re-regulatory storage projects and needs.
It was noted that it's very difficult to manage 5.0 maf of water efficiently with just
70,000 af of regulatory storage.
i. USBR will assist by providing previous studies and work. Much has
already been accomplished with respect to this matter.
11. There are also Salinity Control Program needs for replacement water to
offset reject flows from the Yuma Desalter.
iii. There are Yuma Valley and Wellton-Mohawk needs that should be
factored in this process.
IV. USBR needs to continually review operational changes to the Lower Basin
water order process that continue to reduce the amount of excess water
going to Mexico. They are currently looking into "take or pay" contracts.
3. Arizona asked specifically how conjunctive reservoir management wouid get factored in
to the Colorado River Annual Operating Plan (AOP) process.
a. The actions need to be specific enough to allow AOP's to be developed each year
without getting involved in the turf battles such the one currently ongoing.
Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning

'.