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<br />. 002621 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Basin StatesfTribes Discussions <br /> <br />Status a/the Technical Studies <br /> <br />On August 20th, the Basin States' representatives sent a letter to the Secretary of <br />the Interior, Gale Norton, regarding the status of the Basin States/Reclamation Technical <br />Studies looking at management of the reservoir system during extended droughts. The <br />Basin States' letter highlights the potential role of Mexico in response to shortage <br />condilions, should they occur. The technical studies, completed 10 date, indicate that <br />Mexico would take pro-rata shortages similar to those taken by users within the United <br />States. The states have requested that the Secretary provide her assessment of how this <br />potential shortage condition would be dealt with. In the letter, the states further reiterated <br />their commitment to continue to work with Reclamation and the Department in the <br />development of guiding principles and proposed shortage criteria. A copy of the letter to <br />Secretary Norton is included in the Board folder. <br /> <br />Meetings with USBR Commissioner Keys at NWR - November 9-12, 2004, San Diego, <br />California <br /> <br />Included in the Board folder is a copy of a letter from Reclamation regarding the <br />scheduling of a series of short meetings with Colorado River water users during the <br />upcoming annual meeting of the National Water Resources Association (NWRA) in San <br />Diego, California. The Commissioner's Office is willing to schedule 10-15 minute <br />meetings with various stakeholder groups. These meetings should have bcen scheduled <br />with Reclamation prior to October 8, 2004. <br /> <br />Restoration of CAP 's Priority to Mainstream Colorado River Water <br /> <br />Included in the Board folder is a briefing paper taken from the webpage operated <br />by the Central Arizona Water Conservation DistricI (CA WCD) regarding Ihe potential <br />restoration of Arizona's priority to the mainstream water right held by CA WCD. As you <br />may recaIl, the 1968 Colorado River Basin Project Act subordinated all of CA WCD's <br />water right to all of California's basic apportionment of 4.4 million acre-feet. The <br />CAWCD briefing paper indicates that it has been working with Arizona's congressional <br />delegation to remove this junior priority status. However, because of the impending <br />national elections, it is unlikely that this issue would be addressed until the 2005 session <br />of Congress is convened. <br /> <br />Upper Basin States' Lelters 10 Secretary Norton and Lower Basin States' Representatives <br /> <br />Included in thc handout materials is a copy of two letters submitted by the Upper <br />Basin States' representatives proposing the initiation of interstate discussions regarding <br />"...fundamental issues associated with the allocations established under the Colorado <br />River Compact, the Boulder Canyon Project Act as inlerpreted by the decree in Arizona <br />vs. California, and the Mexican Treaty." According to the Upper Basin States' letter, the <br /> <br />5 <br />