BOARD01847

• Board Meeting Date: 1/26/2000
• Description: Directors' Reports
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Colorado River Basin Issues

.

IS-Mile Reach PBO Final: On December 20, the Fish and Wildlife Service signed a final
biological opinion on Colorado River water use between Palisade and the confluence of the Gunnison
River. The opinion addresses the operation of federal water projects and the effectiveness of the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program. The opinion allows water development for human
uses to occur while recovering and protecting the Colorado pikeminnow, razorback sucker, humpback
chub and bonytail chub. The opinion streamlines Endangered Species Act consultation for water users by
providing compliance for all current depletions (averaging about I MAF) and provides ESA compliance
for up to 120 KAF of new depletions.

Recovery actions include increasing the amount of water released into the river during certain times of
the year, improving river habitat, constructing fish passages to provide access to areas where fish lived
historically, stocking and monitoring the status of the endangered fish and reducing the impacts of
nonnative fish. One element of the required actions, the commitment of 10,825 AF of stored water for
enhancement of peak flows, remains divisive.

CRWUA Meeting: On December 17, Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt addressed the Colorado
River Water Users Association's (CRWUA) annual meeting in Las Vegas, outlining the following
Colorado River priorities:

. Guidelines for determining when surplus water is available for delivery to the Lower Basin States,
over and above their average annual 7.5 MAF entitlement under the Colorado River Compact to help
California reduce its water use and live within its 4.4 MAF entitlement. On December 7, the
Department published notice of its intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (ElS) on e
development these interim (64 FR 68373).

. Continuing the Upper Colorado River Recovery Implementation Progr'llll.

. Developing a Multi-Species Conservation Plan. This 50-year program IS being designed to achieve
Endangered Species Act compliance for numerous species along the Colorado River while continuing
to meet water and power commitments in the Lower Basin.

. Resolving Animas-La Plata Project issues.

. Completing an EIS on alternatives for protecting the Salton Sea. A draft EIS was issued in December
and a report will be provided to Congress in January.

. Resolving several Arizona issues including the settlement of tribal water rights for the Gila River
Indian Community, the implementation of the 1982 Southern Arizona Water Rights Settlement Act
for the Tohono O'odham Nation, and resolving the financial dispute with the Central Arizona Water
Conservation District over repayment of the Central Arizona Project.

A copy of the Secretary's speech is attached.

Scoping Report on CAP: A scoping report for an ElS regarding the reallocation of Central
Arizona Project water and expected long-term contract execution was published on Dec. 7 by
Reclamation. Reclamation has been negotiating a comprehensive settlement regarding operation of the
CAP and Indian water rights. The proposed modifications to previous CAP water allocations will
reallocate the water pursuant to the Colorado River Basin Act of 1968 and will help resolve Indian water
rights claims in Arizona. To settle these issues, the proposed action in the EIS will be a reallocation of

e

8