BOARD02268

• Board Meeting Date: 1/27/1999
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Upper Colorado River Commissioner's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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James S, Lochhead

BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER & STRICKLAND, P.C.

ATTORNEYS AT LAW
T\'VENTY-SECOND FLOOR
410 SEVENTEENTH STREET
DENVER, COLORADO '0202-4437
[phone]
FAX [phone]

WASHINGTON OFFICE
601 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W.
SUITE 900
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20004
[phone]
FAA [phone]

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MEMORANDUM

TO:

Colorado Water Conservation Board
Colorado River Advisory Council

FROM:

Jamess.Lochhea~

January 26, 1999L.-)

DATE:

RE:

Colorado River Issues

Introduction

On January 26, 1999, representatives of the Colorado River basin states met in Phoenix to
discuss Colorado River issues. Present at the meeting were staff and Board members for several
California water agencies, including the Coachella Yalley Water District (CYWD), the Imperial
Irrigation District (lID), the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), and the
San Diego County Water Authority (SDCW A). Also present were counselor to the Secretary
David Hayes and Bureau of Reclamation regional directors Charlie Calhoun and Bob Johnson.
This memorandum will summarize the current status of the ongoing discussions on River
allocation issues in the Lower Basin.

Background

As part of their commitment to develop a plan to reduce California water use to 4.4
mafi'yr, California water agencies and the Department of the Interior have been negotiating
toward an agreement on the quantification of the amounts of water to which IID and CYWD are
entitled within the third priority for the use of water in California from the Colorado River. In
December of 1998, Secretary Babbitt, CVWD and nD announced a conceptual MOD defming
the broad outline for further negotiations toward this quantification agreement. Establishing this