WSP04530

• File Number: 8210.140.30
• Description: Colorado River Basin Organizations and Entities - Colorado River Basin States Forum - Nevada
• State: NV
• Basin: Western Slope
• Date: 8/1/2001
• Author: NV Wat Res Assoc
• Title: News Splash - Colorado River Management - Nevadas Future Depends on Flexibility
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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lJ.e "'evada
Water Resources
Association's mi~io'l
is to provide
education, training
and networkillg
OpportlUlities for
those interested in
ulldersLilnding.
developing.
conserving
and protecting
J'evada's
water r~urces.

\Vlud"s
Inside?

I

Colorado River
ftlanagement

9 Presidents
~ Corner

2 Calendar of I
Evenls I

~ People NelVs 6t
~ "'ews Briefs

I
6 Power SlfUgg1C1'
for Water

8 I"em~er~h;p I
ApplicatIon
I I

" you have any news )'OU
woUdfiketoc:ontrbJteto
the newsletter, please
contact Donna BloOm at
[phone] or e--mail
~J.<w.
Rams of interest are
weJcomel

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-COLOIlAHO IlIVlm JIAXAGEJIEl\"T:

l\"c,'udn"s .'lIillrt, HCllcnds on .'Icxibilii;>'-
By James Davenport, Division Chief, Water, Colorado River CommissIon

The 2000 u.s. Census counted 1.375, i65
people in Clark County, Nevada. f'lost of those
people enjoy dOlllC-<J.lc \\'atcr service provided
by the Southern Nevada Water Authority
\SNWAl. The SNWA derives i15 ""'aler resourccs
primarily from the Colorado River. The 2000
Cen~lls also counted 28,785, 104 people In
those cOllnlie~ \....ithin the seven states of the
Colora(Jo River basin thai use Colorado River
\\'ater. 3.532,785 in the Upper Division
lColorildo. Utah, Wyoming, New Me:liicol and
25,252,319 In the Lower Division (t\rlzona,
Cilllfornlil, Nevada!. Within the Lower
Division. Clark County's population
constltutes 5.4% of its Colorado River water
use poplllation and uses 4% 01 the Colorado
River's normal )'eilr supply. Within the entire
Colorado River Basin. .....'hkh actually includes
the metropolitan areas served by Colorado
River water outside the River's physical
drain.:lge basin. Clark CounWs population
constitutes 4.8% of its Colorado River ......ater
use population and uses 2% of the River's
normal year supply.

Water demand in southern Nevada is
now nearly consumptive of the State's
apportionment of Colorado River ......ater.
Federal regulations promulgated by the
Secretary of the Interior in 1999 authorize
water agencies in Nevada to bank Colorado
River water in Arizona as a hedge against
future demands. On July.3, 2001. the boards
of the Southern Nevada \\'ater Authority.
Colorado River Commission of Nevada and
Arizona Waler Banking Authority (A\\'BA)
signed an agreement making this banking
transaction possible. The agreement
provides for the storage of 1.200.000 acre
leet of Colorado River water In Arizona for the
benefit of Nevada users. It contemplates a
period offidel1very and storage" and a period
of "recovery", During the period when water
is being delivered and stored In Arizona. the

A\\'BA will each year advise the SN\\'A and
CRCN of the storage availablllly within
Arizona's groundwater banking facilities.
together with the projected cost of that
storage. SN\\'A \dll elect how much storage
it \\'ishes to utilize the following year. Upon
AWBAs Iinal acceptance. stOrat\C \\'111 become
p..1rt 01 A\\'It4.'s annual plan of operation. The
actual delivery of water and placement of
......ater into storage ......i11 be performed by the
Central Arizona Water Conservation District
(CAWCDI pursuant to an agreement bct\>.:ecn
AWBA and CAWCD. When \>.'ater has been
placed in storage. AWBA wltl create \\'ater
storage credits in its water banking register.

\\'hen SNWA detcnnincs that it is desirable
to recover water lrom storage in Arizona,
SNWA, CHCN and AWBA will meet to develop
a reasonable plan for development of
filntentionallycreated unused apportionment.
(ICVA) in Arizona. a term of art established
by the Secretary of Interior's water banking
regulations. When ICUA e:dsls in one state. it
may be the basis for the Secretary's release
of that fiunused apportionmcntfi of Colorado
River water for use in another state. in this
case Nevada, pursuant to Section II (bl(6) of
the Decree In Arizona v. California. ICVA
would be created by Arizona"s Colorado River
contractors' forbearance of diversion.':> 01
Colorado River water and reliance on water
stored offstream previously. When that
forbearance is certified to AWBA by Arizona
contractors. AWBA. \\'iII debit ils \>.'ater banking
register for SN\\'A's account and certify the
availability of ICUA to the Secretary of the
Interior. The Secretary ""ill then authorize
SN\\'A to divert additional \\'ater from its
Saddle Island diversion in Lake Jl'lead.

The lower Division of the Colorado River
Is being managed by the U.S. Bureau of

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