BOARD01318

• Board Meeting Date: 9/13/2005
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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We have been made aware of a report to Reclamation that indicates that the Southern Nevada Water
Authority received credit from the Arizona Water Bank for the storage of 14,062 acre-feet in 2004. This
brings the total amount available to Southern Nevada in the Arizona Water Bank to 75,260.

A class action lawsuit has been filed by environmental interests against the Department of Interior and the
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The lawsuit alleges that the Department has failed to adequately describe
and evaluate potential environmental impacts associated with the All-American Canal Lining Project.
The lawsuit alleges violations of federal environmental laws and regulations, such as NEP A and ESA, the
Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the San Luis Rey Indian Water Rights Act and may also jeopardize existing
water rights and entitlement holders in the United States and Mexico.

Finally, The 7 Colorado River Basin States have agreed to sign and send a joint letter to Interior and
Reclamation in response to Reclamation's Federal Register Notice of June 15"',2005 requesting
comments on a proposed EIS that would evaluate options for the coordinated operations of Lakes Powell
and Mead during low reservoir conditions. The 7-State letter discusses a 3-pronged approach that
involves Coordinated Reservoir Management of Lakes Powell and Mead in conjunction with Lower
Basin shortage Criteria, system efficiency improvements and Augmentation of Colorado River water
supplies. We are awaiting the fully signed version and anticipate providing the letter to the Board at the
September meeting.

The above issues will be discussed with the Board in greater detail at the September meeting.

BOR to Initiate Experimental Releases from Glen Canyon Dam to Evaluate Effects on Sediment
Conservation and Native Fish Habitats: The Bureau of Reclamation announced on August 24'" that in
conjunction with the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey, it will soon begin a series of
alternating steady and low fluctuating experimental releases from Glen Canyon Dam to evaluate fine
sediment conservation measures and effects on native fish near shore rearing habitats in the Colorado
River downstream of the dam.

Over the course of September 1 to September 3, 2005, Reclamation will reduce releases from Glen
Canyon Dam. In August 2005 releases have been fluctuating between a low of 10,000 cubic-feet-second
(cfs) to a high of about 18,000 cfs each day. By September 3, 2005, the daily release pattern will be
reduced to a range of 6,500 to 9,000 cfs. These lowered daily fluctuations will continue until September
21 at which time releases will change to a steady release of 8,000 cfs. On October 8, dam releases will
revert back to 6,500 to 9,000 cfs daily fluctuations. These fluctuations will be replaced on October 20
with a resumption of steady 8,000 cfs, which will persist through the remainder of October. Normal dam
operations will resume on November 1,2005.

In November 2004, as a precursor to this year's experimental releases, Reclamation and various other
federal and state agencies conducted a scientific study on the use of high flows from Glen Canyon Dam to
conserve sediment that had accumulated below the confluence of the Paria River in Marble Canyon. The
high flows were released from the dam following input of approximately one million metric tons of fine
sediments to the Colorado from the Paria and other tributaries.
The purpose of the high flow was to determine the extent to which it is possible to rebuild beaches and
backwater habitats as a means to improve natural resources in the Grand Canyon. Under the high flow test
experiment, the peak flow released from Glen Canyon Dam reached approximately 41,000 cfs and lasted
for two and one-half days (60 hours). The water released from Glen Canyon Dam during the experiment
did not change the amount of water to be released over the course of the 2005 water year.

Both the high flow test conducted in November 2004 and the upcoming experimental releases are being
implemented based on recommendations made by the Adaptive Management Work Group of the Glen

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