BOARD01505

• Board Meeting Date: 11/15/2005
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

. The Forum approved the 2005 Review of Water Quality Standards for Salinity in the Colorado .
River System (Triennial Review). The Triennial Review is available on the Board's website at:
htto://cwcb.state.co.uslSecD/200S Review Oct200S Forum apnroved.pdf. The review now
goes to water quality agencies in each state for review and approval and then will be submitted to
EPA for final approval. The Colorado Water Quality Control Commission will hold its hearings
on the Review on Nov. 14 in Montrose.

. The BLM and USGS reported on the enormous potential for energy development in the Upper
Basin, including traditional coal, natural gas and oil resources, as well as oil shale, tar sands, and
coal bed methane [CBM]. This led to a discussion of the potential cumulative impacts on salt
loading to the Colorado River due to surface disturbance and water use, and the need for
regulatory agencies to include protective measures in required permits and environmental
compliance documents.

. The USBR has reviewed and refined methods for determining salt load reductions used in project
planning, design and evaluation. The USBR plans to begin a new round of Request for
Proposals ["RFP's'1 for salinity control projects before the end of 2005, which will include
instructions to proposers about the revised evaluation criteria. Please contact Steve Miller on my
staff if you have an interest in seeking salinity control funding through this new round of RFP' s.
There was also discussion of the Paradox unit, including Basin Fund repayment terms and the
need for new disposal alternatives as the existing injection well may be approaching maximum
design capacity.

. International Boundary and Water Commission (mwC): Senior staff from the mwc attended
the Forum meeting on behalf of Carlos Marin to assure the States that their interests in boundary
water issues will remain a priority as the US Section transition continues. It was reported that the
Mexican delivery shortage on the Rio Grande system has been made up in full. There is
significant disagreement between Mexico and the US on measuring Colorado River salinity levels
at the International Boundary. Mexican laboratory results for 2004 indicate that the US did not
meet the differential required by Minute 242 for first time ever, while measurements made by the
US show the differential was met by more than a safe margin. The US Section ofmWC is
aggressively pursuing this issue on a scientific basis. The proposal to line the AIl-American
Canal, which would allow California to utilize more of its river allocation by reducing losses that
Mexico has come to rely on, is a major concern to Mexican interests.

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. EPA reported that the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe is in the process ofadopting Tribal Water Quality
Standards under provisions of the Clean Water Act that require EP A to recognize such standards
as equivalent to those adopted by states ["tribes as states"]. EP A suggested that the Forum and
the State of Colorado work with the Ute Mountain Tribe to include the Forum's approach for
addressing salinity in those proposed standards.

. USDA reported that a new salinity control unit in the Silt area is likely in 2006, and that
some salinity control work may also occur in the DeBeque and Whitewater areas.

Colorado River Water Users AssocIation Holds 2005 Annual Conferenee: The 2005 Conference of
the Colorado River Water Users Association, entitled "Memories, Milestones and Moving Forward" will
be held on Dec. 14-16 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The conference will feature a multitude ofinfonnative
speakers, panel discussions, committee meetings and exhibits of interest to the Colorado River Water .
Users. Highlights include panel discussions, an address by Secretary of Interior Gale Norton, and the
Bureau of Reclamation's perspective of Colorado River issues. Other invited speakers include Rep.

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