|
<br />In Water Year 1996 (the water year runs from October I through September 30, similar to the
<br />federal Fiscal Year), evaporation loses were 587,000 acre feet. Bank storage gain, which is water
<br />moving into the bank, was 368,000 acre feet. The total was 955,000 acre feel. However, when
<br />placed into the context of a reservoir that ended Water Year 1996 with 26,215,000 acre feet in
<br />storage, the evaporative and bank storage loses were 3,6 percent, That is a very acceptable figure
<br />and a cost that is well worth the benefits provided by the reservoir,
<br />
<br />One note concerning recreation and Mr. Brower's suggestion that Page, Arizona, be more like
<br />Moab, Utah, I submit that one reason both areas do so well is that each fulfills a unique role,
<br />While Moab has wonderful slickrock bike trails, Page has the draw of Lake Powell, Within the
<br />region, they compliment each other, as do other attractions such as Grand Canyon and Zion
<br />National Parks, The fact that in 1996, over 2,5 million people visited the Glen Canyon National
<br />Recreation Area is testimony to the value the public places upon Lake Powell as a destination
<br />recreation site,
<br />
<br />Mr, Brower also needs to better understand the role that Lake Powell plays in water management
<br />in the seven-state Colorado River Basin, Because of the 1922 Colorado River Compact
<br />,requirement that the Upper Basin States deliver a minimum 01'75 million acre feet of water in any
<br />lO-year period to the Lower Basin States, storage at both Lake Powell and Lake Mead is critical,
<br />Without that storage, the Upper Basin States could never deliver the required amount of water in
<br />periods of severe drought, such is in the late 1980's and early 1990's, and still use their full
<br />apportionments of the river, Even at current development levels in the Upper Basin States, it is
<br />unlikely that Lake Mead by itself could meet the required demands of the Lower Basin States,
<br />
<br />Glen Canyon Dam also plays a significant flood control role on the Colorado River, While many,
<br />including Mr, Brower, may speak to the benefits ofa flood, I am not sure that in this day and age
<br />too many people want to see floods of the historic level. Between the years of 1983 and 1986,
<br />over 50 million acre feet of water spilled from Glen Canyon Dam during those high water years,
<br />Without the dam, it is safe to say at least another 26 million acre feet would have moved on down
<br />stream, Contrast that with the controlled and carefully managed flood last spring to rebuild
<br />beaches and rejuvenate critical backwaters for endangered fish, and we see another commitment
<br />by Reclamation to manage with environmental sensitivity in mind,
<br />
<br />Finally, some thoughts on the life of Lake Powell, Scientific sedimentation studies conducted in
<br />the mid 1980's indicate that the overall life of Lake Powell is at least 700 years, In addition, it will
<br />be between 300 and 500 years before sediment reaches Ihe powerplant penstocks, The patterns
<br />of sedimentation for the reservoir is that the upper reaches will fill in with the heavier sediment
<br />first, and over time the sediment will move downstream,
<br />
<br />There is no doubt that within the next 300 to 500 years tremendous new energy generation
<br />sources will be developed and/or invented, In the meantime, in Water Year 1996, Glen Canyon
<br />Dam Powerplant generated 5,5 billion kilowatt hours, which was 75% of the 7,3 billion kilowatt
<br />hours generated by the Colorado River Storage Project, That generation was from a powerplant
<br />
<br />4
<br />
|