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<br />. <br /> <br />~... <br /> <br />.--. <br /> <br />----. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />AllAcbment to Board l.e1Ur 8-16 <br />JanWlty 6, 1999 <br /> <br />APPRUACHES TO IMPLEMENfING METROl'OUTAN'S POLICY REGARDING <br />REQUIRED VULlJME OF COLORADO RIVER WATER SUPPLlF.S <br /> <br />The MetropolitaD Water District of Southern (;alifornia <br /> <br />I. METROPOllTAN'S POLICY <br /> <br />Metropolilwl'$ policy;" to be able to fill its Colorado River AQ.ueduct (eRA) at the <br />lowe:;l possible cost to its Member Agencie~. Metropolitan and its Member Agencies <br />have instituted extensive willer cooservation IIl1d recycling lDeaS\lre.<; throuibout Southem <br />California to reduce urban water demand. Nouethel~, A:llhe Bean! ofMetropolitJln has <br />Ions recognizt.d,' the reasonable demands of urban users now md in dle foreseeable <br />future will f"'luh'e that Mct:opolitall he able to fill its CRA at the lowest possible cost. <br />Metropolitan recognizes that the price of Colorado River water available to fill its <br />aqueduct will differ depending upon sevc::r.u cost, market, legal and policy factors, <br />including whether the water is from supplies subject to allucation by Lbe federal <br />govemment or from supplies ~ecllIed under other water rights. <br /> <br />II. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br /> <br />The CRA is a vital water supply system that helps assure tlIat MetI'opolllHI1') 27 public: <br />IDcmbc:r csgeuci~ can meet the needs of over Iii million urban Southem CalifornianS and <br />suppon a growing S300 billion ...x.nomy. The Colorado River system has ten times the <br />storaee capacity of the State Water Project (SWP). Keeping the eRA at full capacity h <br />Tequired for severl!l important reasons: <br /> <br />A. Supply ReJiubility. Keeping the eRA at full capadly, especially during droughts, <br />will be cIitil:ll.l given that the SWP, due to Endangered Rpecies Act and other <br />environmental considerations, is expected, now and under the pending CALFED <br />proposal. not to deliver Metropolitan's full entitlements most of the time. Urblm <br />Suuthcm Califoroin's consumptive and storage replenishment demands will <br />require the oppottunity for full utilization of the CRA, along with all available <br />supplies from ILe SWP. <br /> <br />B. <br /> <br />Competing /JemJJnds for E:asting Supplia. Compelinl1; demands tor existing <br />fresh water supplies is one of the 1llOst fundamental water problems faci~ <br />western states today. Growing cleIIllWds for water supplies from the California <br />Bay-Delta by urban, agricultuml and enviromnental interests l\[(: imposing <br />significant constraints on the SWP. Without a comprehensive solution to the <br />Bay-Delta, it is ClI.-pcctcd that enviromnental regulations could significantly reduce <br />urban SOuthern CaIifomia's existing 8'WP supplies. <br /> <br />See. c." Memorandum from Ge...l'll\ Manllguto Board ofDinctors regarding Integntled Resources Plan <br />Implementation Policies approv.,J by the Bomd December 12. 1995. <br />