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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Consistent with the above detenninations and in accordance with other provisions of "The
Law of the River," the AOP was developed with "appropriate consideration of the uses of the
reservoirs for all purposes, including flood control, river regulation, beneficial consumptive
uses, power production, water quality control, recreation, enhancement offish and wildlife,
and other environmental factors" (Operating Criteria, Article 1(2)).

Since the hydrologic conditions of the Colorado River Basin can never be completely known
in advance, the AOP addresses the operations resulting from three different hydrologic
scenarios: the probable maximum, most probable, and probable minimum reservoir inflow
conditions. River operations under the plan are modified during the year as runoff
predictions are adjusted to reflect existing snowpack, basin storage, and flow conditions.

Summary

Up.per Basin Delivery. Storage equalization and the avoidance of spills will control the
annual releases from Glen Canyon Dam in accordance with Article U(3) of the Operating
Criteria unless the minimum objective release criterion in Article U(2) is controlling.
Downstream Lower Basin deliveries and/or flood control parameters are expected to control
the releases from Hoover Dam.

Lower Basin Uses. Taking into account (1) the existing water storage conditions in the
basin, (2) the most probable near-tenn water supply conditions in the basin, and (3) that the
beneficial consumptive use requirements of Colorado River mainstream users in the Lower
Division States are expected to be more than 9,250 MCM (7.5 MAF), the surplus condition is
the criterion governing the operation of Lake Mead for calendar year 1997 in accordance
with Article ill(3)(b) of the Operating Criteria and Article U(B)(2) of the decree in Arizona
v. California. .

Any Lower Division State will be allowed to utilize water apportioned to, but unused by,
another Lower Division State, in accordance with Article U(B)(6) of the decree in Arizona V.
California.

1944 Mexican Water Treatv Delivery. A volume of 1.850 MCM (1.5 MAF) of water will be
scheduled for delivery to Mexico during calendar year 1997 in accordance with Article 15 of
the 1944 Mexican Water Treaty and Minute No. 242 of the International Boundary and
Water Commission.

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