WSP01185

• File Number: 8282.500.20.A
• Description: Colorado River Operations
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 8/15/1986
• Author: UCRC
• Title: Draft - Upper Colorado River Commission Action Related to Operation of the Colorado River Reservoir System
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

modified operation plan to reflect the proposal. The Assistant Secretary of
the Interior approved the modified operation plan on April 27, 1979.

The high flows of 1983 required the use of the spillways at Glen Canyon

Dam, and the spillways were seriously damaged because of a design flaw. These

high flows also caused damage to flood control works in the Lower Basin.

Based on their recogni tion of these and other "unusual condi tions" in the

Colorado River system, the seven Basin States agreed to a joint statement

concurring with the Bureau's proposal to make releases from Lake Mead in

January, February, and March of 1984 "as if the forecasted runoff during

those months is for an upper quartile runoff, provided that the plan of

operations will be modified as may be required by changing runoff forecasts

and water demand conditions, and provided further that any change in the

proposed operating plan for water year 1984 be submitted to the basin states

for comment" (Statement of the Seven Colorado River Basin States on the U. S.

Bureau of Reclamation's Proposed 1984 Plan of Operations for the Colorado

River Reservoirs, presented on December 7, 1983).

Again for water years 1985 and 1986, based on "unusual conditions," the

Colorado River Basin States' representatives agreed to operation plans that

did not strictly comply with the "law of the river." Specifically, in a

statement dated August 24, 1984, the Basin States agreed that "due to the

present unique situation necessitating the ongoing and planned repair and

construction work to the spillways at Glen Canyon Dam and Hoover Dam, repair

and maintenance on the Colorado River Front Work and Levee System, and the

expected higher than normal base flow for the early months of water year

1985, it may be prudent to have more than the required flood control space on

January 1, 1985, as called for in the Flood Control Regulations, but recom-

mend that such space not exceed 6.0 million acre-feet (maf)." Then at a

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