BOARD02602

• Board Meeting Date: 5/20/2002
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Colorado River Annual Operating Plan and Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

years, an indication of the progress to meet those targets should be provided annually.
A complete list of all agreements in-place should be included in the AOP as an
appendix.

2. The date of August 1 et is used to make determinations for the coming year, as stated
in the last AOP. Based on current information, 2003 will be a year of "Full Domestic
Surplus." Thus, there will be no surplus deliveries to Mexico and no off-stream water
banking except as explicitly allowed under these conditions. However, since surplus
amounts could change if hydrologic conditions improve, we believe that it would
helpful to note what the 70R values are for the record and to include the definition of
70R. Given that conditions are in the lower end of the range now, this would help
people understand that the surplus volumes are not likely to change.

3. A section discussing the status of Arizona\MWD Reparation Agreement should be
included as well as discussion of how Reclamation would enforce that agreement.
This should also include discussion of the Arizona\Nevada &SNW A agreement.

4. The section on 602(a) storage determinations for Lake Powell needs to reflect the
following. A graph was provided in 2002 that showed that upper basin storage levels
are above the 602(a) storage levels calculated in the CRSS RiverWare model (starts at
around 19.0 mat). This graph should be included and explained in the AOP. One of
the pieces ofthe seven-state proposal was that 602( a) storage levels not be below
14.85 maf(elevation 3630) during the period the interim surplus guidelines are in
effect and we would like language to that affect included in the AOP as agreed to by
all seven states. Based on current information, equalization between Lakes Powell
and Mead will control operations at Lake Powell in 2003. However, the drought
conditions may cause levels to drop below 3630, which would shut off equalization.

5. A section on the need to operate the Yuma Desalter should be included and indicate
where the water is coming from to offset the need to operate the Yuma Desalter. In
short, a determination should be made as to whether or not the interim period for
utilizing the savings (132,000 AF) from the lining of the Coachelle Canal has expired.
If it has, what other water sources will be used to offset the need to operate it.

6. A section on Reclamation's environmental commitments and whether or not they are
being met as required should be included.

Glen Canvon Dam Adaptive Manal!ement Prol!ram

The Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Workgroup (AMWG) by a vote of 17 to 1
(Colorado voted no) has recommended an experimental flow test similar to the 1996
Beach\Habitat Building Flow (BHBF) in which releases from Glen Canyon Dam were
made in excess of power plant capacity to test the ability of those operations to conserve
sediment resources. The AMWG will forward a recommendation to Secretary of Interior
Norton that will offer four options for special releases depending upon hydrologic
conditions and sediment inputs into Colorado River from the Paria River during the late