BOARD01879

• Board Meeting Date: 7/13/1998
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Paradox Valley Unit Augmentation Operations
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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ATTACHMENT 1
DRAFT PROPOSAL FOR IMPLEMENTING THE REASONABLE AND PRUDENT
ALTERNATIVE FROM THE 1995 BIOLOGICAL OPINION - ROUND II
WATER SALES FROM RUED! RESERVOIR

1.

Through short term and/or long term agreements, Reclamation will make up to 21,650
AF ofRuedi Reservoir water available to the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish
Recovery Program for up to a total of 15 years to in order improve flows in the 15 Mile
Reach (15 MR) of the Colorado River.

a. Reclamation, in cooperation with the CWCB and FWS. will develop a long t=
agreement to deliver up to 21,650 AF ofRuedi water to the 15 MR. The only
charge for this water will be Operation and Maintenance (0 & M) costs to be paid
for by the Recovery Program.
b. Until Reclamation can develop and execute a long t= agreement, it will
continue to make up to 21,650 AF (this does not include 5,000 and 5,000 in 4
years out of 5) of water available to the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish
Recovery Program through temporary one-year contracts between Reclamation,
CWCB and FWS.
c. An initial one year agreement will be developed and completed by August 1998,
provided the CWCB approves the agreement. Reclamation will develop and
present the proposed long term interim agreement to the CWCB and FWS by
December 1999 and take the lead in getting this agreement finalized.
2. Upon acceptance of the revised Biological Opinion by Reclamation, Reclamation may
proceed with contracting up to 6,135 AF of Round II water from Ruedi Reservoir which
has been previously requested by potential water buyers.
3. Upon signatUre of the long term interim agreement by CWCB, FWS and Reclamation,
Reclamation may continue contracting for up to a total of 17,000 AF of Round II Ruedi
water (6,135 AF plus 10,865 AF).
4. At the end of the long term interim agreement, Reclamation will recousult on the effects
of contracting for the 21.650 AF ofRuedi water made available to the Recovery
Program under the long term interim agreement.
5. With respect to reservoir releases and elevations, Reclamation will operate Ruedi
Reservoir in the marmer anticipated in the 1989 Final Supplemental EIS for Ruedi
Round II water sales.
6. Nothing in this RP A precludes identifying Ruedi Reservoir in the 15 MR Programmatic
Biological Opinion as a permanent source of up to 10,825 AF of water to improve flows
in the 15 MR of the Colorado River. Water made available under the long t= interim
agreement will be reduced on a p=anent basis by the amount identified in the final 15
MR Biological Opinion, when that amount is reallocated through Congressional action.
to benefit threatened 0 endangered fish.