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<br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Agenda Item 15 <br />July 23.24, 2002 Board Meeting <br />Page 7 of 10 <br /> <br />of the River." Such a settlement with the Navajo Nation should not be treated differently than <br />those with other Tribes. New Mexico should not be treated any different than California when <br />asked to live within their compact apportionment. <br /> <br />Observations <br /> <br />As staff reviews the Navajo-Gallup Project, there is a clear need for additional water supplies on <br />Project lands. The Navajo-Gallup Project is certainly one of the more feasible options, and the <br />Navajos and New Mexico clearly want to resolve the issues and proceed with the Project. We need <br />to continue to talk with the Navajo Nation and New Mexico about solutions that would allow a <br />Navajo water rights settlement to occur and provide additional water to areas clearly in need of it. <br /> <br />Staff circulated the September 14, 2001, memorandum to the Upper Colorado River Commission <br />and other Upper Basin States for review and comment. We have received verbal comments from <br />New Mexico which are reflected in this memorandum and a written response from Utah which was <br />previously provided to the Board. These responses were not unexpected given the water needs in <br />certain portions of these states. However, the responses do indicate a clear need to work through the <br />Upper Colorado River Commission to arrive at a position that can equitably protect and benefit each <br />state. <br />At the November Board meeting, staff was directed to seek comments on the proposed policy from <br />the Colorado River Policy Advisory Council and interested parties in the San Juan Basin. <br />Additionally, the Upper Colorado River Commission discussed this matter at their December 2001 <br />meeting in Las Vegas and the Colorado River Basin States discussed the matter on January 16,2002. <br />We were advised in January by interests in the San Juan Basin and most of the Colorado River <br />Policy Advisory Council to defer adoption of a policy at that time and coordinate and orally <br />communicate our concerns through our Upper Colorado River Commissioner and the Governor's <br />representatives on Colorado River matters. We have now accomplished that coordination and <br />would ask the Board to support the proposed resolution. <br /> <br />Recommendation <br /> <br />Staff recommends that the Board support Colorado's representatives in adoption of the <br />attached resolution. <br /> <br />DRS <br />Attachments: <br />Proposed Resolution <br />Map <br /> <br />c:\mydocslagendaGallupNav72002. bdm.doc <br />