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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />STATES OF ARIZONA, COLORADO, NEVADA <br />NEW MEXICO, tIT AH AND WYOMING <br /> <br />BACKGROUND AND PRINCIPLES FOR NEGOTIATION -_ <br />SPECIAL INTERIM CRITERIA <br />FOR RELEASES OF WATER FROM LAKE MEAD <br />DURING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CALIFORNIA 4.4 PLAN <br /> <br />The Governors' representatives of the above six states suggest the following b:u:kground <br />and outline of principles to guide negotiations of special interim criteria for releases of water <br />from Lake Mead during implementation of the California 4.4 Plan. Nothing herein shall bind <br />any state or party. or interpret or waive any aspect of the Law of the River by any state or party, <br />including th~ state of California and the Department of the Interior. <br /> <br />1. BacklrrOund <br /> <br />Under the California Seven Party Agreement of 1931, California applicants to the <br />Secretary for contracts for water under the Boulder Canyon Project Act agreed among <br />themselves as to the apportionments and priorities for water delivered by the Secretary to the <br />state of California. The first three priorities, up to 3.85 maf, are held by agricultural agencies. If <br />water is being delivered by the Secretary to the full extent of the apportionments of the first three <br />priorities and to other parties such as Indian Tribes and present perfected right holders not <br />identified in the Seven Party Agreement, the Metropolitan Water District of South em California <br />(MWD) and the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCW A), as holders ofthe fourth and fifth <br />priorities, are unable to utilize the full capacity of the Colorado River Aqueduct (CRA) within <br />California's normal year apportionment of 4.4 ma!. Also, water is being used by others without <br />valid contracts with the Secretary. California water agencies have historically diverted about 5.2- <br />5.3 maf of water per year, but as demands for water in other states increase, less than this amount <br />will be available for use in California in nonnal years, thus reducing the supply to MWD and <br />SDCW A. . <br /> <br />The state of California and agencies party to the Seven Party Agreement have developed <br />a conceptual :"Califomia 4.4 Plan." As a component of the California 4.4 Plan, California <br />agencies win implement specified measures within a specified tirne period to reduce the demand <br />for water to Specified levels by water users within the first three priorities established by the <br />Seven Party Agreement. The implementation of such measures will allow MWD and SDCW A <br />to utilize more of the capacity of the CRA within California's normal year apportionment. The <br />Plan is in two phases. Phase I would reduce California's total demand for Colorado River water <br />to about 4.8maf in a nonnal year. Phase II would further reduce California's total demand to 4.4 <br />maf in a normal year. <br /> <br />Page 1 of 4 <br />