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<br />0025211 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Yuma Island Independent Panel process. <br /> <br />Reclamation in response to the Board's letter, has committed to certain changes in preparing <br />Decree Accounting Reports, and further indicated that no change in the methodology for determining <br />consumptive use will take place prior to consultation with all affected parties. <br /> <br />Consumptive Use of Colorado River Water <br /> <br />As we have discussed at prior Board meetings, Board and agencies staff are working closely <br />with Reclamation and representatives in Arizona and Nevada on the development of a consistent <br />policy associated with mainstream water use accounting and riparian and marsh vegetation. You <br />may recall that issues related to the use of mainstream water by riparian and marsh vegetation and <br />surface water evaporation has been long identified as an issue requiring resolution by Reclamation <br />in its development of the Lower Colorado River Accounting System (LCRAS). These issues have <br />taken on more meaning with the continuing development of the LCR MSCP. The proposed habitat <br />restoration and maintenance activities will likely require annual supplies ofmainstre~ water. It is <br />important to clarify how that mainstream water will be utilized by the LCR MSCP and how that <br />associated water use will be accounted for, pursuant to Article V of the Supreme Court Decree in <br />Arizona vs. California (376 U.S. 340). <br /> <br />I <br />i <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />The Board's proposed policy addressing these issues has been the topic of discussion and the <br />focus of several meetings since early in 2003. Board and agency staff have met with Reclamation <br />staff and representatives of Arizona and Nevada in an effort to develop an understanding of the <br />issues and reach consensus on potential solutions. Generally, Nevada is supportive of the Board's <br />current proposal. Reclamation and Arizona are still conce,rned that the proposed policy does not <br />fully comport with the tenets of the Decree. <br /> <br />California's Colorado River Water Use Plan <br /> <br />State Senate Hearing 011 QSA <br /> <br />Included in your handout material is a letter from State Senator Machado, chairman of the <br />Senate Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources, inviting Director Tom Hannigan and others, <br />to a informational hearing before the Committee on April 291h, to discuss the proposed QSA that was <br />announced on March 12,2003. <br /> <br />Interior's Proposed Solution to Mitigate Salton Sea <br /> <br />On April 41h, Assistant Secretary Bennett Raley presented a proposal to the Basin State <br />representatives intending to address issues related to the potential environmental impact to the Salton <br />Sea due to the transfer of water to the SDCW A. In his proposal, Mr. Raley proposed a paper <br />exchange of water between the Imperiallrrigation District and the MWD so that environmental <br />mitigation water might be delivered to the Salton Sea without coming from the Colorado River. The <br /> <br />5 <br />