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<br />r~- <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />1. Executive Summary <br /> <br />Det.rlII1l1&tio~ as to tne availabilitY of water under long-tem service contracts <br />for ~unie1pal ana industrial uses fro~ ~avajo aeservoir involves a proJection <br />into ene tuture of estimated water uses and water supplies. Vn the oasis of <br />hydrologic investigation, water depletions under :unicipal and inoustrial \~'l) <br />contracts from ~avajo Reservoir could reasonably be aU owed to rise to <br />69,000 aere-feet.annually ~nrouln ebe year 2039. <br /> <br />To avoid a eritical compact interpretation, we a..~ that the Opper ~asin Vill <br />be obliiated to deliver 75 million acre-feet (MAl) of water every 10 years at <br />Le. Ferry, p~us 750,000 acre-teet annually toward Mexican Treaty deljveries. <br />Tb1s would require an average annual water del~very at Lee Ferry of .: lea.t <br />8.25 MAl. This assumption is not to be conaidered as an interpretation of tbe <br />Upper Basin obligation for water delivery at Lee Ferry under the Colorado Liver <br />Co.pact. It repre.ents, rather, a practical and conaervative approach for ehe <br />purpoae. of the pre.ent deterlll1nation required by seceion ll(a) at ehe Act of <br />June 13, 1962 (Public Law 87-~83). It should be noted here that the Upper <br />Colorado River Commission, comprised of repre.eDcacive. of the Upper Ba.in <br />States, does not agree Vith delivery of tbe 750,000 acre-feet aDDU&lly toward <br />tbe Mexican Treaty obligation. <br /> <br />Contracts involving a depletioD of 69,000 acr.-f~et would still leave a~fie1ent <br />water to ~eet ehe 8.25 MAl esCimated annual delivery requir...Dc ac Lae lerry. <br />On tbis basis, We. conclude thae tbe projection of water uae. now envi.iODeQ ia- <br />tne Upper 3asin by year 2040 wich che 5.8 MAl depletion level reaa1ni~ in <br />effect, including deliveries under interim long-term coneract. 1~01viug <br />69,000 acre-feee of depletions from Navajo ie.ervoir, will noe iapair cae Upper <br />Basin's ability to meet its water delivery obligacion co the r.ower ~aain aad <br />Mexico. Cuntraccs written for che delivery of Navajo aeservoir wat~r supply <br />will concain specific language subjeeting them to all "law. of the river,' aDd <br />any shortages will be the responsibility of the State of New Mexico. <br /> <br />Various es:imates for projected agriculeure use depletions nave been prepared <br />for the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project (NIIP), including Studie. for an all- <br />sprinkler irrigation syatem aad yearly pereeneages of fallow and idle lands. <br />The presene annual e.ti~ated depleiion figure for ulti~ate development of <br />267,000 acre-feet i. ba.ed solely OD the project's productive acreage and baa <br />not yet been tecbnically verified. Reclamation bas previously determined a <br />depletion fiJUre of 25~,000 acre-feet for full developmeDt. <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />Although there 1s .ufficient water available in the San Juan liver Basin and <br />wichin .the 5.8 MAl to support interim contraccs througa the year 2039, on MOl <br />proj ectl such a. .the proposed Gallup-Navaj 0 Indian Wat.er Supply. Proj ect, a fim <br />water supply beyond che year 2040 will be required to ensure cODtiaued existence <br />and stability of the communities to be served. The ~ost probable course .of <br />action to ensure the project of a fira or perpetual water supply must be <br />resolved. The project would likely utilize the rigbt of eminent domain aDd <br />purchasa senior water rights from existing users. It sbould be acted here taat <br />