BOARD00817

• Board Meeting Date: 7/26/1999
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Surplus/Storage Criteria and 602‎(a)‎ Storage Levels
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

JUL-01-1999 THU 07:48 AM UPPER COLORADO RIVER COM

FAX NO. 8015319100

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June 30, 1999

Mr. Robert Johnson
Regional Director
Lower Colorado Region
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
ATTENTION: Jayne Harkins
P. O. Box 61470
Boulder City, NV 89006-1470

Subject: Comments on the Development of Surplus Criteria for Management of the Colorado .
River

Dear Ms. Harkins:

Representatives of the Upper Colorado River Commission appreciated the opportunity
to attend your recent hearings on the proposed development of surplus criteria for management
of the Colorado River. We also appreciate the opportunity to provide comments on the
proposed process.

At your public hearings you requested comments on three specific areas of your
proposal:

1. The need for. development.
2. The format (2 options were proposed).
3. Alternatives to be analyzed.

Although the Upper Division States' use of the water of the Colorado River is not
directly controlled by any Secretarial determination in the Lower Basin, we are impacted by
such decisions through the Lon9-Range Operating Criteria and its provisions of storage
equalization between Lakes Mead and Powell. When Lake Mead is drawn down by surplus
uses. Lake Powell storage is also reduced. Based on these interrelated impacts, we provide the
following comments:

(1)

Need for Criteria.

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The need for criteria is an interesting question. Some have suggested that without
criteria there is no ability to make long-range determinations of dependable water supply
availability into the Lower Basin States. However, it is the Upper Basin's water supply that is