WSP01172

• File Number: 822.600.10
• Description: Colorado River Annual Operating Plan - Annual Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/1997
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Annual Operating Plan
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

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INTRODUcnON

Authority

This 1997 annual operating plan (AOP) was developed in accordance with Section 602 of
The Colorado River Basin Project Act (Public Law 90-537), and the Criteria for
Coordinated Long-Range Operation of Colorado River Reservoirs Pursuant to the Colorado
River Basin Project Act of September 30, 1968 (Operating Criteria), promulgated by the
Secretary of the Interior pursuant thereto and other applicable statutes. In accordance with
The Colorado River Basin Project Act and the Operating Criteria, the AOP must be
developed and administered consistent with applicable Federal laws, The Utilization of
Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande, Treaty Between the
United States of America andMexico, signed February 3, 1944 (1944 Mexican Water
Treaty), interstate compacts, court decrees, and other documents relating to the use of the
waters of the Colorado River, which are commonly and collectively known as "The Law of
the River."

The Operating Criteria and Section 602 of The Colorado River Basin Project Act mandate
consultation with representatives of the Governors of the seven Basin States and the Upper
Colorado River Conunission in preparing the annual plan for operation of the Colorado River
reservoirs. In addition, The Grand Ca19ron Protection Act of 1992 (Title XVIII of Public
Law 102-575) requires consultation to include the general public and others. Accordingly,
the 1997 AOP was prepared by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) in consultation
with the seven Basin States Governors' representatives; the Upper Colorado River
Conunission; appropriate Federal agencies; representatives of the academic and scientific
communities, environmental organizations, and the recreation industry; contractors for the
purchase of Federal power; others interested in Colorado River operations; and the general
public through the Colorado River Management Work Group.

Purpose

The purposes of the AOP are to detennine: (1) the projected operation ofthe Colorado River
reservoirs to satisfY project purposes under varying hydrologic and climatic conditions; (2)
the quantity of water considered necessary as of September 30, 1997, to be in storage in the
Upper Basin reservoirs as required by Section 602(a) of The Colorado River Basin Project
Act; (3) water available for delivery pursuant to the 1944 Mexican Water Treaty and Minute
No. 242 of the International Boundary and Water Conunission, United States and Mexico
(lBWC); (4) whether the reasonable consumptive use requirements of mainstream users in
the Lower Division States will be met under a "nonnal," "surplus," or "shortage" condition
as outlined in Article ill of the Operating Criteria; and (5) whether water apportioned to, but
unused by one or more Lower Division States exists and can be used to satisfY beneficial
consumptive use requests of mainstream users in other Lower Division States as provided in
. the 1964 U.S. Supreme Court decree in Arizona V. California.

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