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<br />Beneficial Consumptive Uses <br /> <br />An extensive discussion of consumptive uses is treated in <br />detail in Reclamation's "Colorado River System Consumptive <br />Uses and Losses Report, 1981-1985." That report was <br />prepared jointly by the Upper and Lower Colorado Regional <br />Offices and was scheduled for release in 1988, but has not yet <br />been publisbed due to technical review questions. The report <br />presents estimates of the consumptive uses and losses from, <br />the Colorado River System for each year from 1981 through <br />1985. The table,lOn the following page was created by the <br />provisional data from that report, which summarizes annual <br />water use from the system by States, including water use <br />supplied by ground-water overdraft. The next report, <br />1986-1990, is expected to be available in 1992. <br /> <br />Upper Basin Uses and Losses <br /> <br />The three largest categories of consumptive use and losses in <br />the Upper Colorado River Basin are agricultural uses within <br />the basin, transhasin diversions to adjacent drainages, and <br />evaporation losses from the major reservoirs of the Colorado <br />River System. During water year 1988, the estimated use for <br />municipal, industrial and agriculture supplies in the Upper <br />Basin was about 2.950 MAF. Estimated evaporation losses <br />were about 720,000 acre-feet from mainstem reservoirs. <br />Approximately 680,000 acre-feet was diverted for use in <br />adjacent drainages. Total estimated consumptive use <br />amounted to about 3.85 MAF. Storage in the Upper Basin <br />main stem reservoirs decreased by 870,000 acre-feet during <br />water year 1988. - <br /> <br />Lower Basin Uses and Losses <br /> <br />During water year 1988, an estimated 5.1 MAF of water were <br />released from Lake Havasu to meet the requirements for <br />water deliveries at Imperial Dam as well as those of the <br />Colorado River Indian Reservation near Parker, Arizona, the <br />Palo Verde Irrigation District near Blythe, California, other <br />miscellaneous users along the river, and transit losses between <br />Parker Dam and Imperial Dam. <br /> <br />The major water diversions above Parker Dam were by MWD <br />and the CAP. MWD pumped approximately 1.207 MAF <br /> <br />from Lake Havasu during water year 1988 and approximately <br />490,000 acre-feet were pumped for the CAP. <br /> <br />Releases of approximately 6.8 MAF were made from <br />Lake Mobave during water year 1988, to provide for releases <br />to meet minimum downstream needs in the United States at <br />Parker Dam; to supply diversion requirements of MWD and <br />CAP, miscellaneous contractors, and other users; to offset <br />evaporation and other transit losses between Davis and <br />Parker dams; and to maintain the scheduled levels of <br />Lake Havasu. <br /> <br />During water year 1988, releases of approximately 6.7 MAF <br />were made from Lake Mead at Hoover Dam to regulate the <br />levels of Lake Mohave, to provide for the small users from that <br />reservoir, and to provide for releases at Davis Dam to meet <br />needs in the United States. In addition, 199,000 acre-feet <br />were diverted from Lake Mead for use by the Lake Mead <br />National Recreation Area, Boulder City; Basic Management, <br />Inc.; and contractors of the Colorado River Commission of <br />Nevada. Total releases and diversions from Lake Mead <br />during water year 1988 were an estimated 9.887 MAF. <br /> <br />For water year 1989, a total release of 6.2 MAF from <br />Lake Havasu is projected, including consumptive use <br />requirements in the United States below Parker Dam, transit <br />losses and regulation in the river between Parker Dam and the <br />Mexican Border, and treaty deliveries to Mexico. <br /> <br />During water year 1989, MWD is expected to divert <br />1,334,000 acre-feet by pumping from Lake Havasu. The CAP <br />is expected to pump approximately 741,000 acre-feet. <br />Consumptive uses by small users, river losses or gains, and <br />reservoir losses between Davis Dam and Parker Dam are <br />projected to be a net loss of 46,000 acre-feel. <br /> <br />There are no major users between Hoover Dam and <br />Davis Dam. During water year 1989 the net diversions from <br />Lake Mead are projected at 191,000 acre-feel. Evaporation <br />from Lake Mead is projected to be about 940,000 acre-feet <br />and net gain between Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Mead is <br />expected to be about 950,000 acre-feet. <br /> <br />23 <br />