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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Committee had been formed by the Basin states representatives to assist them in obtaining a better <br />understanding of the Colorado River Delta, its needs, and opportunities for addressing the Delta's needs <br />from within the 1944 Mexican Water Treaty delivery obligations to Mexico. <br /> <br />The Basin States' Technical Committee met in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 30, 2002. The purpose <br />of the meeting was to discuss "broad-brush" concepts associated with water resources management in the <br />Colorado River Delta region in Mexico. The potential broad brush options being evaluated by the <br />Technical Committee are generally focused on developing mechanisms for providing approximately <br />30,000 acre-feet of water to the Colorado River Delta region annually, and a periodic pulse flow of <br />200,000 to 300,000 acre-feet every fourth or fifth year. The Technical Committee believes that the <br />proposed options need to consider socio.economic impacts, as well as Mexican water use requirements <br />in the municipal, industrial, and agricultural sectors in Baja California, and Sonora, Mexico. Furthermore, <br />they need to recognize the potential impact that may result in the United States. Thus, a small group is <br />further refining the possible options and developing more information regarding the pros and cons of each <br />option. <br /> <br />Colorado River Environmental Activities <br /> <br />Status of the Development o/the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program <br /> <br />Substantial progress has been made in the development of the Lower Colorado River Multi.Species <br />Conservation Program (MSCP). Draft documents have been prepared, including the following: (1) a <br />proposed MSCP governance and implementation structure; (2) adaptive management, monitoring, and <br />research mechanisms; and (3) a narrowed and mOre focused covered species list. Additionally, the <br />technical consultants have prepared detailed implementation cost analyses associated ,with an MSCP based <br />upon meeting minimum compliance needs, and the costs associated with achieving full recovery for <br />covered species within the MSCP planning area. The costs analyses are being discussed and evaluated in <br />several of the MSCP subcommittees. Currently, the MSCP Steering Committee is ,on schedule to begin <br />preparing a draft MSCP package that can be utilized in initiating negotiations among the participants <br />during the Fall of 2002. <br /> <br />Also, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) released a biological opinion (BO) on April <br />30, 2002, related to Reclamation's request to extend the existing Endangered Species Act Section 7 <br />consultation on Lower Colorado River operations and routine maintenance activities. The BO includes <br />additional conservation measures for razorback sucker, bonytail, Yuma clapper rail, and the southwestern <br />willow flycatcher. The period of additional ESA compliance coverage is from April 30, 2002, through <br />April 30, 2005. Additionally, the BO states that the environmental baseline in the Lower Colorado region <br />has been measurably improved since the original consultation in 1997. This improvement is a direct result <br />of Reclamation's conservation activities associated with the reasonable and prudent alternatives in the <br />199780, as well as the interim conservation measures funded and implemented by the MSCP partnership. <br />Included in the Board folder is a copy of the new USFWS's BO. <br /> <br />6 <br /> <br />" <br />