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<br />banking in Lake Mead, After considering Arizona's conceptual approach for surplus
<br />declarations, the Agency Managers are now revising the August II, 1997, draft Plan to
<br />incorporate these concepts into California's 4.4 Plan and to have implementation of the Plan in
<br />two phases, an interim phase and the final phase, During the interim phase, the Plan would
<br />demonstrate how California would be able to limit its use of Colorado River water to about 4,8
<br />moo, when a full surplus is not declared by the Secretary of the Interior, The final phase would
<br />provide for California being at 4,4 maf in years when surplus water is not available,
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<br />3) On Monday, September 8th, Mr, Kennedy and I attended a meeting of the Seven Basin
<br />states as a follow-up to the August 1 I th meeting in San Diego, California, During that meeting
<br />we discussed, with the other Basin states, the selected concepts for surplus criteria presented by
<br />Arizona and how the California agencies are integrating those concepts to revise the draft Plan.
<br />The states encouraged California to further explore these concepts with Arizona and Nevada and
<br />to keep the Upper Division states apprised as progress is made and as milestones are reached
<br />in flushing these concepts out.
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<br />On August 28, 1997, Mr. Elder and I participated in a meeting with representatives from
<br />Reclamation, the International Boundary and Water Commission, and the California agencies, The
<br />purpose of this meeting was to discuss Reclamation's work in the early 1980's on using a well field to
<br />capture seepage from the unlined All-American Canal (MC). Representatives from Reclamation
<br />presented results from previous studies, including its groundwater model, evaluating the two
<br />alternatives, a well field or constructing a lined parallel canal, Information related to the costs, ground-
<br />water impacts, needed consultations with Mexico, water savings, and the required environmental and
<br />other compliance needed to implement each alternative were discussed, Based on the discussions, a
<br />follow-up meeting is being scheduled with Commissioner Bernal to further explore the process involved
<br />in developing "terms of reference" if California were to further consider the well field alternative,
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<br />Colorado River Endangered Fish Soecies
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<br />The Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP) Steering
<br />Committee met on August 26th in Las Vegas, Nevada, The contract negotiations for the facilitator and
<br />plan development contractors have been completed, The contract budget and contingency allowance
<br />were obtained as requested by the Steering Committee, The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation will
<br />now enter into contracts with these firms on behalf of the Steering Committee, Included in the Board
<br />folder are copies ofLeR MSCP Resolutions No, 97-2, -3, and -4 authorizing execution of the contracts
<br />along with the approved budget for Year I (FY 1997-98),
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<br />Last month, Mr, Worthley informed the Board that Janet Rogers had left the Colorado River
<br />Commission of Nevada, Her departure left the position of vice-chairman of the LCR MSCP Steering
<br />Committee vacant. Mr, George M, Caan, Executive Director of the Colorado River Commission of
<br />Nevada, was elected to fill the vacancy.
<br />
<br />On August 22nd, the U,S, District Court in Phoenix, Arizona, issued its order in the case of the
<br />Southwest Center for Biological Diversity v, United States Bureau of Reclamation and Secretary Bruce
<br />Babbitt, The Court found in favor of the defendants, As you recall, the Southwest Center for
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