BOARD02617

• Board Meeting Date: 3/24/2003
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Congressional Appropriations Comrnittees supporting the Advisory Council's funding
recommendations is being prepared.

Colorado River Salinity -- EQIP Funding: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) .
delivers USDA's portion ofthe salinity control program through the Environmental Quality Incentives '
Program (EQIP). EQIP was re-authorized in the 2002 Farm Bill and proposed nationwide funding at
significantly increased levels. The Forum anticipates a 9orresponding (300-500 %) increase in funds
for salinity control in the basin if Congress appropriates ifunds at the recommended levels. The Forum
has been working with the NRCS, state agencies, and local water user groups to design a program
capable of utilizing the increased funds. In Colorado there is an effort underway to do planning studies
to support new USDA salinity control projects in the Mancos, Rifle, Whitewater, DeBeque, and
Plateau Valley areas. In addition we have been working with the Colorado Soil Conservation Board to
provide enhanced technical assistance and accelerated program delivery in the existing USDA salinity
control areas (Cortez, Montrose-Delta, and Grand Valley).

Colorado River Delta Workgroup: The Yuma Desalt~r Plant (YDP), which has not operated since
1992, was constructed to treat agricultural drainage water from the Yuma area. Treated water is
returned to the river to satisfy part of the delivery oblig~tions to Mexico and to ensure that the
Colorado River water delivered to Mexico meets the Minute 242 salinity differential.

The YDP has not operated because ofthe expense and because there has been replacement water
available from the lining of a section of the Coachella Canal. As a result, 108,000 acre-feet of
drainage water has not returned to the Colorado River, tiut bypassed instead to the Santa Clara Slough.
Consequently, a significant portion of the Colorado Riv~r Delta wetland has been rejuvenated.

This rejuvenation has resulted in a number of environmental organizations and the govemment of
Mexico wanting to re-establish the entire Colorado River Delta wetland area. The initial step in this
effort was the adoption of Minute 306 to the 1944 Treaty with Mexico in December 2000, which .
created a framework for a formal process to address Colorado River Delta matters.

Subsequently, a Symposium on the Colorado River Delta was held on September 11-12, 2001, the
proceedings of which were released on September 17, 2002. A States Technical Workgroup was
formed and to date has summarized the surface water arid groundwater resources available to Mexico
in an effort to develop a water budget that will help ide1j.tify opportunities to improve conditions for the
Colorado River Delta. The Technical Workgroup has also created a "Broad Brush Concept
Document" that identifies possible water supplies avail~ble to meet the needs of the Colorado River
Delta. This information is now ready for discussion by ,the seven basin states and recommendations to
the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) should follow in the near future.

Staffhas been participating on the Technical Workgroup, which last met on Feb. 25 in Las Vegas.
Finally, IBWC has issued a "Terms of Reference" document, which describes the issues that IBWC
will discuss under Minute 306. :

Yuma Desalt Plant (YDP): The Lower Colorado Region of Reclamation is working on a report to
Congress that looks at alternatives to operating the YDP and also seeks funding to upgrade and operate
the YDP. Staff has been involved in these ongoing discussions.

One ofthe alternatives under discussion is for Reclamation to enter into voluntary forbearance
agreements with agricultural users, including possibly agricultural users in the Upper Basin, to provide
replacement water that would offset the need to operatelthe YDP. This is a significant concern and
certainly has many issues associated with it. A public rheeting was held in Las Vegas on Feb. 25 to
discuss the report. .

It is anticipated that the report will be revised based on the comments received and sent to Congress. .
There is a 60-day Congressional waiting period before any actions can occur on the report. Following
the waiting period, Reclamation would seek appropriations to correct the YDP design deficiencies and
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