BOARD00610

• Board Meeting Date: 7/24/2000
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Colorado River Reservoirs Annual Operating Plan for 2001
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone, [phone]
FAX, [phone]

Q

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

TO:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Randy Seaholm V--riY.
Chief, Interstate Streams Investigations

Greg E.Walcher
Executive Director

FROM:

Peter H. Evans
ewes Director

DATE:

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

July 14,2000

SUBJECT:

Agenda Item 21e, July 24-25, 2000 Board Meeting-
Colorado River Basin Issues -
Colorado River Reservoirs Annual Operating Plan for 2001

Backl!:round

The Colorado River Management Work Group has been meeting to develop the Year
2001 Annual Operating Plan for Colorado River Reservoirs (AOP). The process for
developing the AOP is to first develop operating plans for Flaming GorgelFontenelle,
AspinalllTaylor Park, and Navajo independently. These operations are then combined
with the latest runoff forecast and the latest estimates of lower basin water use. Through
an iterative process a preferred operating plan is then developed. Then using a R 70
strategy (70% exceedance probability runoff or 18.770 million acre-feet) they check to
see if flood control releases from Lake Mead are triggered. If so, the flood control
release amount becomes the "R70 surplus" amount. The schedule for developing the
year 2001 AOP has been as follows:

May 17

The 1st meeting of the Colorado River Management Work Group
was held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Provide comments to USBR on changes to last years AOP and any
further concerns or considerations with the year 200 I plan.
USBR sent out 1st draft of2001 AOP. Many blanks to fill in.
The 2nd meeting of the Colorado River Management Work Group
was held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
USBR desires comments on 1st draft of the AOP.
The 3'd meeting of the Colorado River Management Work Group
will be held in Las Vegas.
The final consultation meeting on the 2001 AOP will be held in
Las Vegas.
The final draft AOP will be sent to Washington for approval.
The Secretary oflnterior will distribute the signed AOP.

June 4

June 14
June 21

July 14
August 16

Sept. 15

October 10
December I