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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />PROVISION OF YIELD OR STORAGE TO BENEFIT THE ENDANGERED FISH <br />A DISCUSSION <br /> <br />As a major element of a suggested reasonable and prudent alternative for the biological <br />opinion on the Animas-La Plata Project, the Southwestern Water Conservation District <br />(District) has proposed the dedication of 500,000 acre-feet (af) of Navajo Reservoir <br />storage for the benefit of the endangered fish. Representatives of New Mexico have <br />indicated that the dedication of Navajo Reservoir yield rather than storage would be <br />preferable. This paper provides some thought on the major differences between a yield <br />and stora2e approach. The discussion starts on how we would envision each of the <br />storage and yield approaches to work. <br /> <br />Provision of Navajo Reservoir Storage <br /> <br />As proposed by the District, 500,000 af of storage space in Navajo Reservoir would <br />be dedicated to a Recovery Plan for use in attempting to recover the endangered fish. <br />The yield available from operation of this storage will depend on how the storage is <br />operated. The storage could be used to enhance low flows or peak flows of the San <br />Juan or some combination. <br /> <br />Filling of the storage dedicated to the recovery plan would be subordinated to the filling <br />of 540,000 a of Navajo storage dedicated for New Mexico's consumptive uses (up to <br />New Mexico's consumptive use entitlement). In other words, storage dedicated to the <br />recovery plan would only be allowed to fill if the Navaio Reservoir inflows exceed. <br />downstream New Mexico demands (excludin2 fish flows a!!<Lp<>.'Ver flows) and the <br />amount of water required to fill New Mexico's stora2e. n_ <br /> <br />Representatives of the Recovery Plan and representatives of New Mexico would dictate <br />the timing and amount of releases from their respective storage accounts. Since the <br />purpose of New Mexico's storage space would be to satisfy consumptive uses, there <br />would have to be some mechanism such that any non-consumptive water released from <br />the New Mexico storage (for fish or power) would be charged against New Mexico <br />in administering the reservoir. <br /> <br />New Mexico's portion of the storage would be operated independently of any storage <br />provided to the Recovery Plan. Separate accounting of the storage accounts would be <br />operationally similar to having two distinct reservoirs with. different operators. <br /> <br />~ Leonard Rice Consulting Waler Engineers. Inc. <br />