WSP02717

• File Number: 822.600.10
• Description: Colorado River Annual Operating Plan - Annual Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/2001
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Annual Operating Plan
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

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Consistent with the above determinations and in accordance with other provisions of "The Law
of the River," the AOP was developed with "appropriate consideration of the uses of the
reservoirs for all purposes, including flood control, river regulation, beneficial consumptive uses,
power production, water quality control, recreation, enhancement offish and wildlife, and other
environmental factors" (Operating Criteria, Article 1(2)).

Since the hydrologic conditions of the Colorado River Basin can never be completely known in
advance, the AOP addresses the operations resulting from three ditTerent hydrologic scenarios:
the probable maximum, most probable, and probable minimum reservoir inflow conditions. River
operations under the plan are modified during the year as runoffpredictions are adjusted to reflect
existing snowpack, basin storage, and flow conditions,

Summary

Upper Basin Delivery. Storage equalization and the avoidance of spills will control the annual
releases from Glen Canyon Dam in accordance with Article II(3) of the Operating Criteria unless
the minimum objective release criterion in Article II(2) is controlling.

Lower Basin Delivery. Downstream deliveries and/or flood control parameters are expected to
control the releases from Hoover Dam.

Taking into account (I) the existing water storage conditions in the basin, (2) the most probable
near-term water supply conditions in the basin, and (3) that the beneficial consumptive use
requirements of Colorado River mainstream users in the Lower Division States are expected to
be more than 9,250 million cubic meters (MCM), or 7.5 million acre-feet (MAF), the surplus
condition is the criterion governing the operation of Lake l\,.1ead for calendar year 200 I in
accordance with Article 1II(3)(b) of the Operating Criteria and Article Il(B)(2) of the Decree.

Any Lower Division State may be allowed to utilize water apportioned to, but unused by, another
Lower Division State in accordance with Article 11(8)(6) of the Decree.

1944 U.S.-Mexico Water Treatv Delivery. A volume of 1,850 MCM (1.5 MAF) of water will
be allowed to be scheduled for delivery to Mexico during calendar year 200 I in accordance with
Article 15 of the 1944 Mexico Water Treaty and Minute No. 242 of the International Boundary
and Water Commission.

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November 16, 2000

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