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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />status reports were given on activities related to implementation of California's Colorado River <br />Water Use Plan, The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD)/Arizona <br />Department of Water Resources (ADWR) Reparation and Forbearance Agreement, and the <br />Nevada! ADWR Interstate Banking Agreement. The California parties reported that progress is being <br />t made to complete all of the required activities by the end of this year. The focus of the effort has <br />now moved from drafting the legal documents to completing the necessary environmental <br />compliance documents. It was reported that MWD and ADWR have essentially reached closure on <br />the terms of the Reparation Agreement and that it will soon be released for review. The Arizona <br />State Legislature is currently considering the passage of a joint resolution (SJRIOOl) that will <br />provide the legal authority for the ADWR to enter into an agreement with MWD which will <br />implement the forbearance and reparation portions of the Seven Basin States Plan for Interim <br />Colorado River Surplus Criteria. The resolution has been moving through the legislative process <br />in anticipation that the agreement will be completed before the Legislature adjourns. SJR I 00 I was <br />unanimously approved by the State Senate and is currently scheduled for hearing in the House <br />Natural Resources Committee. Ifthe ADWRlMWD agreement is not completed prior to the end of <br />the legislative session, the contract approval portion of the resolution will be deleted and the <br />agreement will need to be resubmitted for approval in a future legislative session. Regarding the <br />Interstate Water Banking Agreement between Arizona and Nevada, it is nearly ready for execution. <br />It is expected that a signing ceremony between the two states will occur in May. <br /> <br />Comments on Reclamation's Inadvertent Overrun and Payback Policy are due to <br />Reclamation by April 10'". Because the Board meeting is not until April II '", I have requested an <br />extension of the comment deadline in order to receive Board approval of the comments being <br />submitted to Reclamation. During the Basin states meeting, all of the states generally supported the <br />, draft Policy and were of the opinion that it was consistent with the agreement reached among the <br />~ Basin states as part of the interim surplus guidelines discussion. However, there was a desire, by <br />some, to have a more detailed description of how the Policy would be implemented (implementation <br />procedures), as well as, a process to periodically review the implementation. <br /> <br />Colorado River Delta Issues <br /> <br />While conferring on Mexican Delta issues, there was general consensus that the Basin states <br />need to focus on the issues to be discussed and the principles under which future discussions should <br />~ occur. It was decided to form a small working group, composed of one representative from each <br />~ state, to begin to draft a seven-state set of principles. That draft set of principles will be discussed <br />at the next Basin states meeting scheduled on May 7'0. <br /> <br />Colorado River Environmental Activities <br /> <br />Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (MSCP) <br /> <br />The MSCP Technical Consultants have continued to make progress on the preparation of <br />various work products associated with development of the conservation plan. The consultant team <br />has prepared an information matrix which identifies and categorizes all available information <br />associated with development of site-specific conservation activities along the Lower Colorado River. <br />This matrix is currently being reviewed by the MSCP Biology Subcommittee. <br /> <br />4 <br />