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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Bureau of Reclamation Holds Public Meetings OD Methods to Recover or Replace Agricultural <br />ReturD Flows BypasslDg the Colondo River: Reclamation held public meetings in Phoenix and Yuma, <br />Arizona on Oct. 5 to solicit input on potential methods, including operation of the Yuma Desalting Plant, <br />to recover or replace approximately 108,000 acre. feet of agricultural returo flows from the Wellton- <br />Mohawk Irrigation District. These highly saline return flows currently bypass the Colorado River and are <br />discharged to the Santa Clara Slough in Mexico. Keeping these return flows out of the Colorado River is <br />important in order to comply with salinity standards under Minute 242 of the 1944 United States-Mexico <br />Treaty. The recent drought conditions have heightened the desire to recover these bypassed flows so that <br />they can he used as part of the 1.5 million acre-foot annual delivery obligation to Mexico rather than <br />wasted to the Slough. This would conserve a like amount of storage in Lower Basin Reservoirs. <br /> <br /> <br />Upper Colorado River EDdaDgered Fish Recovery Program - SufficleDt Progress AssessmeDt: On <br />September 14,2005, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued its annual "Sufficient Progress Report" <br />pursuant to the Section 7 Agreement for the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program <br />and for the Implementation of Action Items in the December 1999, IS-Mile Reach Programmatic <br />Biological Opinion (PBO). The report provides a complete assessment on the status of the endangered <br />fish and on recent accomplishments and shortcomings of the Recovery Program and PBO. Despite <br />significant Recovery Program accomplishments, the Service is very concerned about recent downward <br />trends in the endangered fish populations. The Service strongly encouraged the Recovery Program <br />participants to continue to remain attentive to the impacts of drought and nonnative fish on recovery <br />efforts and to aggressively pursue the identified management actions needed for recovery. Based on the <br />status of the fish; provisionsoftTows diiringthe drought,magnitude of depletion impacts, and the <br />cumulative Recovery Program accomplishments and shortcomings, the Service concluded that the <br />Program had made sufficient progress to continue to provide the reasonable and prudent alternative that <br />avoids the likelihood of jeopardy resulting from depletion impacts of new projects that have an annual <br />depletion of up to 4,500 acre-feet. A complete copy of the 3S-page report will be provided if requested. <br /> <br />CRWCD's 2005 Colorado River Water SemIDar: On Sept. 30, the CRWCD held its 2005 Colorado <br />River Water Seminar entitled "Colorado's Water Puzzle". The seminar was held at the Two Rivers <br />Convention Center in Grand Junction, from 9 am to 4 pm. The Agenda included items such as Water <br />Law 101; House Bill 1177 - Jnterbasin Discussions; Oil, Gas and Water Quality; A Look at Global Fresh <br />Water Issues; and Privatization of Municipal Utilities. Scott Mcinnis will gave a Keynote Presentation on <br />"Washington in the Rear View Mirror." <br /> <br />ArIzoDa Virtual Water University Becoming a Reality: During the 8SIh Arizona Town Hall at the <br />Grand Canyon, Governor Janet Napolitano announced her proposal for an Arizona Virtual University. <br />Her A VWU concept was to bring together the talents of the three universities - University of Arizona, <br />Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University - to better focus their efforts on state water <br />needs. A VWU would ensure that Arizona has the tools needed for sustainable water supplies, provide <br />enhanced opportunities for water resources education, and expand the state's water research and <br />technology development. <br /> <br />The A VWU working group has identified four projects for immediate work, with each project a <br />collaborative effort expected to involve principle investigators from the three universities. The four <br />projects are I) Arizona Hydrologic Information System; 2) Water Quality Priority Projects, 3) Water <br />Conservation Technology Exchange, and 4) Meeting the Water Management and Planning Needs of the <br />Upper Verde Watershed. <br /> <br />21 <br />