BOARD01504

• Board Meeting Date: 11/19/2001
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Discussion on Proposed Policy Regarding the Navajo-Gallup Project in New Mexico
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: 1303} 866-4474
www.cwcb.state.co.us

MEMORANDUM

BiUOwens
Governor

TO:

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director
Rod Kuharich
ewes Director
Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

FROM:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Randy Seaholm, Chief, Water Supply Protection ~
Vince Prichard, Water Supply Protection Section 'llP

DATE: November 7, 2001

SUBJECT: Agenda Item 12e, November 19-20, 2001, Board Meeting-
Colorado River Basin Issues -
Discussion on Proposed Policy Regarding the Navajo-Gallup Project
in New Mexico

Backl!round

The Navajo Nation, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the
State of New Mexico, is in the process of developing the Navajo-Gallup Project. NEPA
compliance was started in January 2000 and a Record of Decision is anticipated in
February 2003. Federal legislation authorizing the project will likely be introduced in
January 2002.
The Navajo-Gallup Project would divert 37,764 AF\YR from the San Juan River
Basin (Average Annual Basin Yield approximately 2.0 Million Acre-Feet (MAF)) for
use on Indian lands in New Mexico and Arizona (see attached map). Of the 37,764
AF\YR diverted, it is estimated that 35,893 AF\YR would be consumptively used. Ofthe
37,764 AF\YR, the City of Gallup would receive 7,500 AF\YR and the Jicarilla Apaches
would receive 1,200 AF\YR. The City of Gallup and some of the Navajo lands in New
Mexico are located in the Little Colorado River Basin, a Lower Basin tributary of the
Colorado River. Also, some of the Navajo lands served in New Mexico will be located in
the Rio Grande Basin. Navajo lands served in Arizona are all located in the Little
Colorado River Basin and would receive 6,411 AF\YR.
Pursuant to the Upper Colorado River Compact, the water apportioned to the
Upper Basin States is allocated as follows:

Arizona
Colorado
New Mexico
Utah
Wyoming

7.5MAF
50,000
3,855,375
838,125
1,713,500
1,043,000

6.0MAF
50,000
3,079,125
669,375
1,368,500
833,000

50,000 AF\annum
51.75%
11.25%
23.00%
14.00%

The current hydrologic determination of water available to the Upper Basin is only 6.0
MAF, significantly less than the 7.5 MAF apportioned under the Colorado River
Compact. Currently both New Mexico and Arizona have contractually obligated all the
water apportioned to them under the current hydrologic determination. New Mexico uses

Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Financing. Stream and lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning