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<br />, SEP-04-2001 TUE 01: 55 PM UPPER CO RIVER COliM . FAX NO. <br />.07,~JlI~aa1 13:28 FAX 80U387270) Utah Div of Water :Res <br /> <br />8015319105 <br />-')CRC <br /> <br />p, 02/05 <br />III 001 <br /> <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />Canler for. ElloloSlloal Diversity. O.'.ndors of WIldlife. I;nvlronmtlnt.1 Defl;lnlia . FrI.nds of ArI~o.;a Rlvarlj <br />Llln<l and Wat.r Fund' LIving ~rVCr'5t . paclflc; Instlluta . Slerl'l1l Club' Sonoran Ins;tilute . Soulf1wesl: Rivl"" <br /> <br />July 6, 2001 <br /> <br />Robert Johnson <br />Pirector, l.ower Colorado Regional Office <br />Bureau ofRc:elsma.ti.on <br />PO Boll. 61470 <br />'Boulder City, NY 89006"1470 <br /> <br />Dear Mr. lobnsoIC <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />We write to rcq~&t that you seek a Solioitor's Opinion from the Departmoo.t ofIntcrlar <br />regarding ilie current status of the interim period during which the United States may take <br />credit far water conscrvllq by the Iinip.g of the: Coachella. Canal. There appears to be <br />ratller substantial dJsagrccmrmt re:garding whether the interim period has ended. Whether <br />or not the Bwcau of Reclamation has an Obligation to take nnminent steps to act to <br />replace this credit rests on the resolution ofmis agreement. <br /> <br />In two briefings before the Colorado River Management Warl< Grou~, John Redlinger of <br />the Boulder Canyon Operations Office hl\!ll\!l$erted that this interim perjod is OVcf. <br />Furthermore, Mr. Redlinger asserts that the United States lnust look for a new way to . <br />mcot its obligation to replace tile bypass. flow that drains from Wellton. Mohawk Inigation <br />alld Drainage District into Mexico, some 110,000 acre-feet annually. <br /> <br />The lining of the Caache:lIa Canal was authorized in the Colorado River Basin Salinity <br />Control Act of 1974: <br /> <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />Sec. 102. The Secrc!a1y is authonzedJo construct a new concrete-lined aanal, or, <br />to line the presently unlined portion of the Coachella Canal ofthl!J Bollldc:r Can}'OIl <br />project, California, from station 2 plus 26 to the: beginning of siphon numblA"ed 7, <br />a length of approximately fOrty-nine miles. The United States sh.all be entitled to.a <br />temporary \.\$e of a quantity ofwatar, for the purpose of meeting the salinity <br />control objectives of Minute 242, during an interim period, equal to the quantity <br />of water conserved by constructing or lining the said canaL The interim period <br />shall commtlllce 01} thc completion of eonstruction or lining the said canal and <br />shall Qud the first yell!' that the Secretary delivers main stream Colorado l'Uver <br />water to California in an amolmt.lcss than the sum of the quantities reqw:sted by <br />(1) the California. agencies undClf contracts'made pUlSuant to seotion.S of the <br />Boulder Canyon-l'rojecl Act (45 Stat. 1057), and (2) PedClfal ostabli5hme.nts to <br />mJ:let t\ulirwater righlf. ~c'l.w.ed"nCa.li'~mia inacc.u,d"l'<';c with:~-S-uplem" <br />Court. decree in Arizona against CallfcnUa (376 V.S, 340), <br />