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<br />(,1 <br />~ <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />M,'j ?l.8 <br />UjJ~W.l. <br /> <br />News Release <br /> <br />February 15, 1994 <br />For Immediate Release <br /> <br />News Contact: <br /> <br />Ross Bethel <br />(303) 866-3441, ext. 308 <br /> <br />NEW SYSTEM HELPS PROTECT COLORADO RIVER INTERESTS <br /> <br />Increased competition for Colorado River water has prompted the state to launch a <br /> <br />major project to improve Colorado's ability to protect and use its portion of Colorado River <br /> <br />water. At the center of the competition is some 15 million acre-feet of water that annually <br /> <br /> <br />originates above Lee Ferry, Arizona. <br /> <br />The 1922 Colorado River Compact divides the flow of the Colorado River at Lee <br /> <br /> <br />Ferry, Arizona between the upper basin states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, <br /> <br />and the lower basin states of California, Arizona and Nevada, A subsequent series of laws, <br /> <br /> <br />interstate agreements and court cases further divides the flows among the states in the upper <br /> <br />and lower basins, <br /> <br />In recent years, California's annual use has exceeded its basic compact approtionment <br /> <br />of 4.4 million acre feet. California's overuse has historically came from Arizona's and <br /> <br /> <br />Nevada's unused share. Now that Arizona and Nevada have begun using a larger share of <br /> <br /> <br />their Colorado River water, via the Central Arizona Project and other means, the lower basin <br /> <br /> <br />states have entered an era in which their compact apportioned water supply will not always <br /> <br /> <br />satisfy their water demands, <br /> <br /> <br />In addition to water demands by the states, there are proposed uses of Colorado River <br /> <br />water for the recovery of endangered fish and Clean Water Act re-authorization considerations, <br /> <br /> <br />In this new setting, future administration and management of the Colorado River is <br /> <br /> <br />continually being examined by the seven states and the U,S, Bureau of Reclamation, the <br /> <br /> <br />principal entity responsible for operation and administration of the river. <br /> <br /> <br />Colorado, having the largest undeveloped share of compact entitlement water, is very <br /> <br /> <br />concerned about protecting its ability to use its entitlement of Colorado River water while <br /> <br /> <br />cooperating with other states and agencies in decisions about the future operation of the river. <br />