BOARD01083

• Board Meeting Date: 5/16/2006
• Description: WSP Section - Upper Colorado River Basin Hydrologic Determination - Availability of Water in the Upper Colorado River Basin
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

,~aY-09-05

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09:28 From- T-459 P.002l004 F-178
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TreE SOUTHWESTERN WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

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West Building - 841 S..ond AVeIlq.
Po.<< OfIice Box 475
DVRANGO,COLORADOSUWZ
(9701 247-1302 . Fax [phone]

May 9, 2006

Rod Kuharich, Director
Colorado water Conservation Board
1313 SheITIla~ Street
Den"er, Colorado 80203

Re: Uppcr Colorado River Hydrologic Determination

Dear Rod:

The Southwestern Water Conservation Dislrict ("'SWCD") submits this lettcr 10
the Colorado WaleI' Conservation Board ("CWCB") in re8ponse to the State of New
Mexico's reqLleSt for CWCB's suppon of a new hydrologic determination for me
Colcrado Ri\cr ("HD"). SWCD has no objection to CWCB sLlpponing the New Mexico
requ :S1 if cen:ain considerations are accepted by New Mexico in regard 10 the San Juan
River basin.

Increasing the HD for the Upper Basin of the Colorado River would tbeorclically
imply more water is available 10 all ofthe Upper Basin states under Ihc Upper Colorado
River Compwct. If me current hydrologic determination of 6.0 MAF/yr is increased to
6.23 to 6.28 IvfAF/yr 10 assist New Mexico in meeting its intrastate water demands, all
the Upper Basin states would benefit in water available from the Colorado River on a
pro-:'ata basi;. under the Upper Colorado River CompacI. Therefore, Colorado as a
who.e, would benefit in mat it would "receive" more water under its 51.75 percent share
of Upper B&dn Colorado River water.

SWCD's concerns, however, arise from the fact mat the water which would
provide New Mexico its 11.25 percent share of Upper Basin Colorado River water from
me increased HD, estimated {O be an increase of approximately 29,800 AF, would all
com: from tbe San Juan River basin. This could directly impact the water user.; and
watEr availability in the nine county area served by SWCD. Since the incrcase in HD is to
bene fit all Colorado west slope basins, it must not restrict water use in sOUlhwest
Colc,rado. Tllerefore, SWCD requests that the CWCB consider intra-Colorado protection
for tle San Juan River basin, in the unlikely event of a call on the Colorado River, when
il considers ,;pproval of an increased lID 10 benefit New Mexico using water from the
San Juan Ri\er basin.