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<br /><- <br /> <br />ACCOUNTING FOR WATER DEPLETIONS <br /> <br />This Appendix lays out the accounting system for determining changes in water depletions <br />addressed in this biological opinion. This accounting process will quantitatively measure increases <br />in water depletions as they actually occur and identifY when 60,000 and 120,000 acre-feet/year of <br />new depletions have actually occurred. Water depletions are defined as the reduction in the <br />quantity of water reaching critical habitat of the endangered fishes. <br /> <br />1) Every 5 years beginning in 2005, the Service and the State will jointly collect consumptive <br />use data and other data necessary to update either the State's CRDSS Consumptive Use <br />Model or the State's CRDSS Colorado River Mainstem Water Right Planning Model "Cl <br />run" as described in Appendix F. Data collected would include irrigated acres, climatic <br />data needed to run the "Modified Blaney-Criddle" consumptive use model, as well as data <br />on evaporation, muniGipal and industrial uses, and other consumptive uses identified in <br />Bureau of Reclamation's consumptive uses and losses report. The Service would also <br />provide a list of projects and new depletions consulted on during each 5 year period. The <br />updated information will be submitted to a technical group (similar to the technical group <br />which worked on the PBO) for peer review. The technical group will determine which <br />depletions have actually occurred, because only those depletions which have actually <br />occurred will count against the 120,000 acre-feet/year. Once the technical group and any <br />other interested entity has verified the depletions, they will be submitted to the Recovery <br />Program for final review. <br /> <br />2) Beginning in 2005, the State's CRDSS Consumptive Use Model will be run and a <br />consumptive use and losses report will be developed. This report would verifY the present <br />level of depletions. <br /> <br />The programmatic biological opinion has determined that with implementation of recovery <br />actions and an appropriate fish population response, the additional depletion of 120,000 <br />acre-feet/year is not likely to jeopardize the endangered fishes or destroy or adversely <br />modifY critical habitat. The accounting system for determining when depletions reach <br />120,000 acre-feet/year will avoid penalizing entities that implement water conservation <br />and reuse practices (for example, entities will maintain their present level of demand in the <br />model). The biological opinion does not mandate water conservation or reuse. However, <br />if water conservation and reuse practices are implemented it will take longer to deplete <br />120,000 acre-feet/year. Therefore, if all recovery actions are implemented and there is an <br />appropriate fish population response, the biological opinion could provide Endangered <br />Species Act compliance for a longer period of time. <br /> <br />3) In order to avoid potential problems associated with annual fluctuations due to variable <br />climatic factors, as well as model and data changes, all determinations of increases in <br />