WSP01150

• File Number: 8510.100.40
• Description: Rio Grande Compact Commission
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Water Division: 3
• Date: 2/27/1998
• Title: Report of the Engineer Advisers to the Rio Grande Compact Commission - February 27 1998
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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..-I totals 2,271,500 acre-feet of Project Storage during the winter months and 2,246,500 acre-feet of

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Project Storage during the summer months.

The Engineer Adviser for Texas took the position that Project Storage capacity consists of

the total capacity of Elephant Butte Reservoir of 2,065,000 acre-feet, plus 231,500 acre-feet of

storage capacity in Caballo Reservoir for a total of2,296,500 acre-feet.

The Engineer Adviser for New Mexico took the position that, in accordance with the

definitions of the Compact and the intent of the negotiators in the provisions of the rules and

regulations for computing actual spill, that Project Storage consists of the entire physical capacity

of Elephant Butte Reservoir, 2,065,000 acre-feet, plus the additional capacity in Caballo Reservoir

as dictated by current operational procedures of the International Boundary and Water Commission

(IBWe) and the Bureau for Caballo Reservoir.

The Engineer Advisers meeting was attended by representatives of the Bureau of

Reclamation (Bureau), Corps of Engineers (Corps), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USF&WS) and

the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Garry Rowe (Bureau) gave a presentation on February 25, 1998, at the request of the

Engineer Advisers regarding the invoked flood reservation storage in Elephant Butte Reservoir. He

advised that Rio Grande Project Storage has been reduced due to concerns for public safety. The

Engineer Advisers requested Mr. Rowe to draft a letter addressing the reservation of flood storage

in Elephant Butte Reservoir. The Engineer Advisers additionally requested the Bureau and the

IBWC to prepare and provide, as soon as possible, documentation regarding any historical

establishment of flood protection in the Rio Grande Project (Elephant Butte Reservoir, Caballo

Reservoir and the IBWC Rectification Project). This would include any information and

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