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<br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />, <br />f <br /> <br />Colorado River Operations <br /> <br />I <br />'I <br /> <br />Annual Operating Plan <br /> <br />On January 18,2001, the Secretary of the Interior released the 2001 Annual Operating Plan <br />for the Colorado River System Reservoirs (200 I AOP). The Secretarial determinations included in <br />the Plan were consistent with those recommended by Reclamation after its consultation with <br />representatives from the seven Colorado River Basin states and others. Those determinations <br />included: I) the active storage in the Upper Basin reservoirs is above that quantity required pursuant <br />to Section 602(a) of the Colorado River Basin Project Act; thus, the operation of Lake Powell will <br />be governed by the spill avoidance and equalization provisions contained in the Long-Range <br />Operating Criteria; 2) taking into consideration all relevant factors contained in the Long-Range <br />Operating Criteria, sufficient water is available for release from Lake Mead to provide a limited <br />surplus, 630,000 acre-feet, for use by Colorado River mainstream users in the Lower Basin; 3) any <br />Lower Division state will be allowed to utilize water apportioned to, but unused by, another Lower <br />Division state in accordance with Article II(B)(6) of the 1964 Decree in Arizona v. California; and <br />4) water in excess of that quantity required to supply uses in the United States will not be available; <br />thus, 1.5 maf of water will be made available to Mexico during calender year 200 I in accordance <br />with Article 15 of the 1944 Mexican Water Treaty and Minute No. 242 of the International Boundary <br />and Water Commission. A copy of the 2001 AOP is included in the Board folder. <br /> <br />International Boundary and Water Commission <br /> <br />I recently learned that John Bernal has announced that he intends to resign, in March, as the <br />U.S. Commissioner to the International Boundary and Water Commission. It is my understanding <br />that he is returning to the Tucson area, and to employment with Pima County. We all wish Mr. <br />Bernal well in his new endeavor. <br /> <br /> <br />Consumptive Use Accounting - Riparian Vegetation <br /> <br />On February 8th, Reclamation held a states-only meeting with representatives from Arizona, <br />California, and Nevada to discuss four potential options to clarify the determination of conswnptive <br />use by riparian vegetation associated with refmement of the Article V Decree accounting procedures. <br />Reclamation is seeking comment on these and other potential options by May 1,2001. The potential <br />options being evaluated by Reclamation include the following: <br /> <br />~D. <br /> <br />Option 1 - The consumptive use of water by all riparian vegetation is system loss, <br />and evaporation fTom all open water areas created or maintained for environmental <br />pUI1Joses is system loss; <br />Option 2 - Water use by riparian vegetation is conswnptive use only if intentionally <br />irrigated, and evaporation from open water areas created for environmental purposes <br />is consumptive use only if maintained with diversions from the mainstream; <br />Option 3 - Water use by riparian vegetation is conswnptive use if(l) intentionally <br />irrigated with water diverted from the mainstream, (2) irrigated with tail water from <br />crop irrigation, and (3) irrigated with excess water from a domestic use. Evaporation <br />from open water areas on the mainstream is conswnptive use if the open water areas <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />2 <br />