WSP01022 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

G02G'i2 . . Basin States Discussions Status of the Technical Studies As has been reported at previous Board meetings, representatives from the Colorado River Basin states are continuing to meet to discuss managing the Colorado River System during times of low runoff conditions, especially focusing on the next 24 to 36 months. The Technical Committee that was formed is: 1) conducting model studies to analyze possible future water suppl y conditions and impact that those conditions may have on the reservoir system storage and the ability of the system reservoirs to meet future water supply demands and 2) identifying potential projects, programs, and actions that could be implemented to avoid, or at least reduce, the impacts associated with drought and shortage conditions. A number of model runs have been made by the Technical Committee looking at a worst- case scenario in terms of potential future runoff conditions, as well as looking at various potential operating scenarios based upon historical hydrology. These model runs are continuing to be analyzed. Meetings have been held on July 22nd in Salt Lake City, Utah, and on August 19th in Las Vegas, Nevada, to review various model studies and further identify potential actions that could be taken in the near term to lessen or avoid the impacts associated with a continued drought. The focus of the Technical Committee now is to take the information that has been obtained from the model runs and to begin to identify potential reservoir operating criteria that could be used to assist in managing the impacts of a prolonged drought and to distribute shortages. The Technical Committee is now beginning to look at shortage criteria and "event horizons", the conditions under which specific resources are impacted by an elevation in the reservoirs, e.g., Southern Nevada Water Authority's water intake. In this regard, the Technical Committee is preparing discussion paper that addresses the short,!ge criteria and event horiz~s, which will be further discussed at its next meeting scheduled for September 19, 2004. 1'3 -If The development of shortage criteria and the identification of appropriate event horizons is an extremely important and significant aspect of Colorado River System management, and must be conducted deliberately and thoughtfully. As with surplus criteria, adoption of shortage criteria may impact California's use of Colorado River water. Thus, I am proposing that the Board members, altemates, and their advisors hold a workshop in the very near future, preferably prior to September 19th, to discuss the concepts and issues associated with the establishment of shortage criteria for the Colorado River System reservoirs and to come away from the workshop with policy direction to take into the interstate discussions. Colorado River Environmental Activities Status of the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP) July and August has been taken up with several public hearings associated with the release of the draft LCR MSCP documents (Habitat Conservation Plan, and Biological 5