|
<br />.
<br />
<br />River Water Users, Highlights included panel discussions, a video address by Secretary of Interior Gale
<br />Norton, and the Bureau of Reclamation's perspective of Colorado River issues, CWCB Director Rod
<br />Kuharich, Randy Seaholm and Ted Kowalski attended, An UCRC Commission meeting was also held
<br />during this timeframe, The text ofthe CRWUA 2006 Reso]utions and Secretary Norton's remarks can be
<br />found in the Attachment section of this report,
<br />
<br />Justice Hobbs Gives Speech on the Colorado River: "The Colorado: River of Many Returns: How
<br />Conflict, Goodwill and Reso]ution Set the Course", a speech by Justice Gregory J, Hobbs Jr, was
<br />presented at the Colorado River Water Users Association December ]6,2004 annual meeting in Las
<br />Vegas, Nevada. Text of the speech can be found at www,crwua,org/news/
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />Norton Urges Seven Basin States to Agree on River Management During Shortages: In a videotaped
<br />message to Colorado River water users at their annual meeting in Las Vegas on December] 6, Interior
<br />Secretary Ga]e Norton urged the seven basin states to continue working hard towards an agreement on
<br />managing the river during times of shortage. "Without continuous leadership to find consensus, basinwide
<br />litigation looms as a significant threat," Norton said. 'The ultimate choice between negotiation and
<br />litigation rests with this generation of water managers," Rod Kuharich, Director of the Colorado Water
<br />Conservation Board, reacted, "I don't think litigation is imminent, but we're clearly at a point where it
<br />could go either way." Upper and lower basin states remain divided on key issues, specifically how to
<br />manage Lake Powell and Lake Mead during times of serious shortages and who is responsible for
<br />providing the water to meet Mexican treaty obligations, So far, Interior has been able to meet all its
<br />delivery obligations, but a consensus agreement regarding future operations remains elusive. Assistant
<br />Secretary of Interior Mark Limbaugh told water users and state representatives, "If it's not there in
<br />February, we'll be disappointed, and we'll have to look at other a]ternatives.... We were fortunate to go
<br />into this drought (which began in 2002) with nearly full reservoirs. The next time drought strikes, this
<br />may not be the case. If it comes back next year, we don't have a p]an,"
<br />
<br />Lake Powell is the means by which the Upper Basin States ensure they meet their obligations under the
<br />Colorado River Compact to the Lower Basin States, Earlier this year, water levels dropped] 45 feet below
<br />full pool, and storage declined to 33% of live capacity, By the end of the 2005 water year, on September
<br />30, water levels had increased by 3] feet and storage by 2,77 million acre-feet (MAF), On December 2,
<br />the reservoir stood at an elevation of 3,602,2 feet, or 97,8 feet from full pool, with storage of]] ,9 MAF
<br />(or 49% oflive capacity), according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. October precipitation in the
<br />Upper Basin was above average and the unregulated inflow to Lake Powell reached ] 05% of average,
<br />dropping to 95% in November, The Bureau has announced that December releases will total 800,000
<br />acre-feet, and about the same in January, As releases exceed inflow, the reservoir will continue to drop
<br />until April runoff begins, The snowpack is now at 86%,
<br />
<br />The text of Secretary Norton's Remarks can be found in the Attachment Section of this Report,
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />Senator Dianne Feinstein Introduces Legislation to Increase Water Supplies within Southern
<br />California: On December 3], in a continuing effort to increase water supplies within Southern California,
<br />U,S, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) introduced a companion bill to House approved HR 177, Senate
<br />bill S, 2106, like HR ] 77, authorizes $] 74 million to naturally improve water quality in the Santa Ana
<br />River watershed and increase the region's water supply by 65,2 billion gallons per year,
<br />
<br />Interior Secretary Approves 2006 Annual Operating Plan for Colorado River System Reservoirs:
<br />On December 14 Secretary of the Interior Gale A, Norton approved the 2006 Annual Operating Plan
<br />(AOP) that governs the distribution ofCo]orado River water and the operation ofCo]orado River
<br />reservoirs. A letter transmitting the approved AOP has been sent to the governors of the seven Colorado
<br />River Basin States,
<br />
<br />35
<br />
|