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OOlisn Federal Register I Vol. 46. No. 128 I Monday. July 6. 1981 I Notices 35061 1. Upper Green River. The eslimated avenge annual natural now at the outnow point of this Brea II about 2 mal. A\'erage annual depletions are estimated al 317.000 acre. feel under present condillora and 482.000 acre-feet for fulun!' conventional uses. In 2000. synfuels production would deplete another 14.400 acre-feet under the baseline case and 30.200 acre-feel under the accelerated case. Since projected synfuels development under either calle would require less than 2 percent of the average annual outflow from this area and since the area has already developed substantial waler supplies (Fontanelle and flaming Gorge reservoirl). only transport facilities are necessary to support water utilizallon. The level of future lotal depletions is well within Wyomlng'a compact enUflemenfa. 2.. Yampo River. The eaUu;,ated average annual nalural flow atlhe outflow point of this area i8 over 1,7 maf. Average annual dl"plelions are estimated at 114,000 acre.feet under present conditiona and 181.000 acre-feet for future conventional uses. Synfuel production would deplete another eatlmated 10.500 acre-feet under the accelerated case and none for the baseline case. Projected s)-T1fuels development would reduce average outflow from the area by less than 1 percent. Facility siting will probably be In the Craig.Ha)'den area of Colorado, In Lbi. area during low-flow conditions. divef'9lon. may be precluded by downstream senior water rights. Therefore. a small amount of reservoir storage, not to exceed 5.000 acre-feet of acUve storaga. would be needed. The level of future total depletions ia within compact enUtlementa for the Yampa River. 3. While River. Colorado and Utah. The utimaled average annual natural flow allhe outflow point of thia area is 566,000 acre-feet. Average annual depletions are estimated at 47,000 acre. feet under preseot conditions and 80.000 acre.feet for future conventional uses. In 2000. synfuel production would deplete another 141.000 acre-feet under the baseline case and 240.200 acre-feet under the accelerated case. There presently II no compact between Colorado and Utah allocating the .urface waters of Ihe \\-'hlle River. The area hu a sufficient o\'erall water supply 10 sup pori the projected le\'els of a '~Tlfuel development. However. anal)'si5 of seasonal low nowl and dry years Indicates thaf both levels of s}nfuels de\'elopment .....ilI require substantial amounts or reservoir storage, 4. Upper Colorado Main Stem. The estimated average annual natural flow at the oulflow point of this ana Is 5.7 mer. Average annual depletions excluding Ihe Gunnison River drainage are e!timated at 991.000 acre.feet under present condition. and I.U maf for future conventional uses. In 2000. aynfuel production would deplete another 28.800 acre-feel under the baseline case and 84.000 acre-feel under the accelerated ca.e. Direct diversions from the Colorado Ri\'er in the Grand Valley.DeBequa area could aupply the projected synfuel development throughout most of the year. bul the supply would be subject 10 downstream senior agricultural righl.s. which would occasionally curtail diversion. An estimated 15.000 10 35,000 acre-feet of active reservoir storage (depending on the synfuel development le,'el) would be needed to ensure an adequate supply during Ihese periods. Water could also be purchased from Federal reservoirs luch al the Ruedi. Synfuels development below Grand Juncllon could utilize direct flow diversions. There are no speeinc Intentate compact provisions for Ihis area. 5. Lower Green River. The esl\mated average annual natural flow of this area as measured at Green River, Utah. Is about 5.5 maf annually and includes the outflow of the Yampa and Whife Rivers and Upper Green River area. Average annual depletion.. within Ihe area are eslimated at 613.000 acre-feet under presenl conditions and 891.000 acre. feet for future conventional usel. In 2000. aynfuels production would deplete another 4.000 acre-feet under the ba..eline cose and 14.500 acre-feet under the accelerated caae. Flows in the Lower Gl1!en River are olIO reduced by depletions in upalream areas. the Upper Gnen River and the White and Yampa Rivers. Depletions in these upstream areas by conventional uses are projected to inereaae from 476.000 acre-feel annuall)' under presenl conditions to 743,000 acre.feel annually in 2(X)(). Depletions by .ynfuels development in Ihese upstream areas are estimated at 156.000 acre-feet annually for the baseline case and 280.900 acre-feel annually for the accelerated case. The total 2000 depletiona as measured allhe outflow of the Lower Green River development area under the aCC1!lerated case would be less than 2 million acre-feet annually or about 35 percent of the natural flow. Assumed coal gasification facilities in the development area could be located close to the Green River. Since the lowest monthly flows exceed 30,000 acre.feet. an adequate water supply < should be available without lupplemental reservoir storage. 6. San Juan River Colorado arid New }'fexico. The elllimaled average annual nalural flow allhe outflow point or Ihll area I. about 2.1 mar. Average annual depletion. are eatimated at 382,000 acre- reet under present conditions and 765.000 acre-feet for future conventional Ules. In 2000. .ynfuel production would deplete 63.ZOO acre-feel under the baseline case and 62.200 acre-feet under the acceleraled case. Navajo Reservoir has over 46.(0) acre-feet of water for aale. An additional 35.000 acre.feet hu already beeD contracted for a propoaed coal gasification facility. Developments sited in New Mexico would probably purchase water suppliea from the Navajo Reservoir. The 12.000 acre-feet needed in Colorado could be obtained from the Piedra. Los Pinos. Florida, Anima.., or La Plata Rivers. with some storage necessary on all but the Animal. The total depletions In New Mexico under the accelerated case (convenllonal uses. synfuels development. and New Mexico'a ahare of CRSP reservoir evaporation) will approximate the amounl of water available to New Mexico under provisions of the Upper Basin Compact and with conservative hydrologic inlerpretation or waters available to the Upper Basin under provisions of the Colorado River Compacl 7. Upper Basin Supplies. Operation sludies using the Colorado River System Simulation Model indicate fhal with Upper Ba.ln deplelions ror ~onventlonal uses and CRSP evaporallon of 5.17 million acre-feet 8Mually in 2000. and with the annual 0141,000 acre-feet consumptive use req.uiremenls of the accelerated case. the expected oulflow from the Basin at Lees Ferry. Arizona. would exceed 9.6 million acre-feet. Moreover, the studies found Ihatthere waa atleasl a 50 percent probability thallhe outflow In ZOOO would exceed 8.23 million acre-feel. These findings indicate that .ynfuels developmenlin the Upper Basin would not be constrained by the Colorado River Compacl. at least up to the levels of de\'elopmenl projected In Ihe accelerated case, The operation studies assumed current U.S. Department of Lbe Inferior criteria for operation of CRSP reservolrt and other elements of the ~Law of the River:' Water allocations of the Upper Basin Compact may constrain synfuels de\'elopmentln individual Upper Basin Statel. The situalion In the San Juan Rh;er de\'elopment area with respect to New Mexico has been mentioned "