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<br />.OOl~G3 <br /> <br />'fJ~j <br /> <br />4M;" <br />~Jf:;1 <br /> <br />As mentioned in the 1963 memorandum, the availability of water for M&I <br /> <br />or other use is dependent upon physical availability in the river <br /> <br />system at the point of diversion and the legal right to use the water <br /> <br />according to the various applicable compacts and laws. An analysis of <br /> <br />the water supply, diversions, and return flows along the Upper San Juan <br /> <br />River indicated that up to 100,000 acre-feet of water can be ~ade <br /> <br />physically available for M&I purposes in New Mexico through year 2005 <br /> <br />by supplementing the rights of the United States to the remaining flows <br /> <br />and return flows of the San Juan River and its tributaries with releases <br /> <br />of stored water from Navajo Reservoir. The 100,000 acre-feet of M&I <br /> <br />use would be in addition to the uses within New Mexico's permanent <br /> <br />allotment of Colorado River water based on the assumptions as to the <br /> <br />Upper Basin's obligation to furnish water to Mexico described below. <br /> <br />Our most recent computer simulation of the operation of the Colorado <br /> <br />River system according to the operating criteria required by Public <br /> <br />Law 90-537 verified previous study results; specifically, that upper basin <br /> <br />consumptive use may be limited to an average of about 5,800,000 acre- <br /> <br />3 <br /> <br /> <br />feet annually if a delivery to the lower basin of 8,250,000 acre-feet <br /> <br />annually is maintained during low-flow periods similar to the most critical <br /> <br />period of record. New Mexico's permanent allotment using the conservative <br /> <br />estimate of 5,800,000 acre-feet per year would be 647,000 acre-feet, <br /> <br />annually. <br /> <br />If it should be determined at some future date that the upper basin <br /> <br />delivery obligation at Lee Ferry includes no water for satisfaction of <br /> <br />- <br />