WSP03527

• File Number: 822.600.10
• Description: Colorado River Annual Operating Plan - Annual Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/2003
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Annual Operating Plan
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

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The Secretary anticipates addressing the potential for o.....eruse in the Lower Basin through the
adoption of an inadvertent overrun and payback policy in 2002. Absent adoption ofan inad\"ertcnt
overrun and payback policy. and specifically in light of the potential CY 2002 overuse. the Secretary
will undertake enforcement actions consistent with the Decree to ensure that no Colorado Ri\"er
water user(s) exceeds its lawful use in CY 2003.

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For informational purposes. the natural inflow required to reach a Quantified Surplus OOR value
strategy) on January 1. 2003. is 3-1-.9 maf(43,049 mem). which has been exceeded in the historical
record less than 1 percent of the time. As provided in Article 1\'(1) of the Intenm Surplus
Guidelines. the 70R strategy involvcs assuming a 70-percentile inDow into Lake Powell. subtracting
out the consumptive uses and system losses and checking the results to see ifall of the water could
be stored or if flood control releases from Lake Mead would be required. If flood control releases
from Lake Mead would be required. additional water is made available to the Lower Division states
beyond a full domcs[ic surplus. The notation 70R refers to the natural inDow imo Lake Powell [hat
has been exceeded 30 percent of the time (17.4 mat).

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On June 19.2002. Reclamation published a Federal Rcgister notice (67 FR 41733) staling the
Secretary would be accepting input on the following:

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(1) The ability oflower basin entities outside of Cali fomi a to affect compliance with section
5(8) requirements.
(2) the need of other lower basin entities outside ofCalifomia. to utilize surplus quantities in
2003 (and the relative amounts of such surplus quantities).
(3) impacts on storage of water in the Colorado River reservoirs. and the impact on future
deliveries to users of the waters of the Colorado River under applicable provisions of
federal law and international treaty. and
(4) impacts on California's ability to meet applicable conditions for reinstatement of the
deternlinations under sections 2(8)( I) and 2(8)(2).

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In response 10 this Federal Register Notice. Reclamation has received comments and is continuing to
review the issues identified in the notice.

As provided in Section 3 of the Interim Surplus Guidelines. the Secretary shall undertake a ~mid-year
review~ pursuant to Article 1(2) oflhe Operating Criteria. allowing for the re\'ision of the current
AOP. as appropriate. based on actual runoff conditions v,'hich are greater (han projected. or demands
which arc lower than projected. Thc Secretary shall rcvise the detennination for the ClllTent year only
to allow for additional deliveries. Any revision in the AOP may' occur only after a reinitiation of the
AOP consultation process as required by law.

19.,f4 U.S.-~1exico \Vater Treaty

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Under most probable inflow conditions. water in excess of that required to supply uses III the United
States will not be available. therefore there will be no Colorado River surplus. as defined by the 1944
U.S.-\1exico \Vater Treaty, for delivery to !v1exico. Vacant storage space in mainstem resen;oirs is
substantially greater than that required by flood control regulations. Therefore. a volume of 1.5 maf

December 13, .:!OO.:!

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