WSP06411

• File Number: 8210.260
• Description: Colorado River Basin Organizations and Entities - Colorado River Policy Advisory Council
• State: CO
• Basin: Western Slope
• Date: 9/10/1992
• Author: various
• Title: News Articles and Press Releases related to the Colorado River Policy Advisory Council
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: News Article/Press Release

U1U;J

~

Federal R. I Vol. 57. No. 1713 I Thundo,'. SeP.De: ,C. 199:: I Notices

41519

celir.ed by the ~ iacron
mennoned .bow. 'The mstin-a
0pen!Ulg ClTt...:_ ue flexible ~ 10
ollow tlu. In<! !>Oed DOl b.. modJfied.
Con:llde..riOlLt of IU pUlpORS a~
oddre.se<t d\ltUq devel""ment of lbe
AOP. Slale. Federal. and local "sene..
con""med p~y Wlth fish _Dd
wildlire. :-ec:-eatlon. and !DW"OJ:U:D.e.nr.a.i
pw-;>oses a~ pan of lbe AOP pnxess-
Issue 7; Wllerher the Operating
Cmen_ ,hould be flexible enoU3h to
accommocale interim flowl and
operational ch~ al Glen Canyon
Dam.
..tna!}'sis: The Operating Criteria were
developed 10 aCcomplish the obieclive.
of seCUon 6OZ{aJ of the 1968 Colorado
Ri,~ ilasi.n Prn}eCI Ar:r. (Pub. I.. !&-S37).
Specific moa<hly. daily. and iloml,
operauolU were oot detailed in Public
Law 9G-SJ7. and co"...ponding!,.. they
are not deladed in the Operating
Criteria. The Operatins Criteria ~
,ufficently fleJUble and need nol be
modified 10 deal with lbe chanses in
mor.lbly. daily and bourly operatIons at
Glen Canyon Dam.
Isme i1: Wbether scheduled special
releases. e-cos,st~~ b.istancai strean::
flow criteria. and a crHicaJ perioe
should be factors considered in
delermining 602laj storase.
Analysis; Section 6O::la j of Public Law
9ll-SJ7 provid.. far ,,,[fjc..,t "orase of
.......ater in the Upp!!' Basin to 8SSUJ"e
""ruin reqwred d.eliv~.. to the Lower
Basin WIthout Im?airiI13 the annual.
Upper Basin co~rn-e uses pu."'3uaot
:0 the Compact ArJcie U!U of the
Operac.ng c.-iter:a requires the
Secrelary 10 cletenniDe (for each AOP)
lbe quantity of eczaj 'torage. aher
cansiclenotian o( all a!>Pliable la_ llIId
rel.....nt f.ctan. ne article lista several
of Ibe reIennt factors bul spec;/icaJly
slates that the s.m.,a.,. io DDllimimd 10
lboae listed. The Secretaty i. therefore
allowed. and indeed required. 10
consider ail (actor! which are relevant
to lbe delenninatioa o( the 802(al
Slorase quanuty dunnS tile preparatioo
of each AOP. The process for P"'l'Uin8
AO!'", haa recently been eltJlanded 10
indude additional agencies.
arga.ni:zaooll!. and representatives from
the public who can provide inpal far Ihe
idenlilicallon of the relevantJaclors.
'The Openlliag CriWi. .lreacly provide
for considering addltional facton when
delemWUnll6l12(aJ ,tarase aDd should
not be modified for that J>W1'O'M!.
Issue!l: Whelber the revie.. of the
Operarins Criteria ,bould be subject to
NEPA. and _bether the Eavironmeutal
Impacl Slaten,.nl process axdd be ltSed
'" as..... opera!ica:l.al aspecb al
Colorado River dams.

Analysis: Jl--'.-tioa is aIr."OaUy
a ppiY'Il3 the NEJ> ^ proceoa ID wvvaJ
prolecta _a3OC1ated WIth the Col<1racio
;l: ver where propoaed acnom are be",,!
considered. Two 01 th.... a~
1. GaJEIS.
:. HooYef' Dam ~FirJlQOc.
:>UA campiLana will'""
.=m,pJ;.h-i "" the resul.. oi lile
nmew of tile ~ Cnten.. ne
form and extent of .IUci:J. CO....pii.l"I_ 'tllI-ill
cepend 011 the rmal resulla of the
re'Jiew.
Issue 10: Whether the Colorado River
System reservoirs are beina operated in
accordance Wltb: !be Operalin3 Criteria
as promulgated; provisions of the -Law
of the Rivet" as it C'WT'ently e:x::i..!!s: best
lI1an~1 practices to.. the ....
manasemea I and suppl,. of waW' under
CW':'e.D.t rn.....Jitions aDd st.an.da..oods:
wnether the Operating c.,ten.. risk
analysis. fu!llre ase eslimates. aitical
storage requirements. and 1II~""',"i'P'i"8
benefu:iaJ. ase in opention of C:>loradD
River reservoin aM subjected to loose
defuutions and piecemeal application:
and whetbeS' the Operanog ClTteria need
'0 be IDDn! rigorouaJy applied darina the
.-\OP pl'OC8Os.
.'lnaiysis; The Stale oi Calilanua aDd
its water users belieVl! that atte.c.tlcn to
the above matter-s 'Will a.lJ.uw ~aler
benefJ.daJ tl.SeS of water in the Lower
Basin without unduly increasing the risk
of :!hortalZe to Unired St2te!l uses.
Specifically. they wanl.nnrances that
the 'YMem of reservo:n are ~
opera;ed:
1. In a=rdan~ wit.~ ee O?er>ting
Cr:teria as promulgated:
::. In accordance wi:h provisions or
lbe "Law of the River- al it curently
eX!slS:
3. In accordance with best
managemeat practiClOJl far the ....
management. and npply o( _rer UDd...
cumont condillons ana .Ianduda.
Based an the;r ,...,.;ew of the
Operating Crileria cd their experitmCl!
with the AOP development proce'L they
believe that:
1. The OpenIting Crileria .... bei"!l
imple........ted is> a pIecemeal !aoIlioD
ralber tIum beag coaaidered in dleir
entirety.
Z. f'.nnm.l....liatl of all applicable law.
and teleorurt facton .....~,m.,S_
supply risk aa--. &rI!: not beiar
considered _deqaately in tba
developmenl of the AOP.
3. ACCIII'IIIe cd re_hle estimales
of C1lT'eIlt and fulUre conmmpltft uoe
Wltlw1 the Colorado RiYer Basin ant oat
factared mill the analyseo of the
reservoir operatioD.l and allesammt. of
risk.
4. Critical ...-.. -IOiI' storage
req~.~", fm IlleeD118 the need for

watar 111 the Upper au... and lbe Lower
B.um tLa'Ve Dot been ~ ~..~4.
5. The .~ oj CDf'!tvi- in the ris&
dueuml't:: reLaled tD water
==nservanon 1a aot CD,"",,~.:Inoate.....t.b
,he d_ of cznamry beats ~
:or other parameters lI8ed II> swde the
o;>entIan oi lbe.,..tem ~oirs.
6. Risk a..s.se:samCD md .. .'Olf'
oce~aDons have cot been modified in
consldl:rsnon 01 best l2%...~",...t
practices appropriaLe for the .....
mallaSement. &ad. ""llllly of _ter under
current ",nwliD... and .tandards.
~. s..,.eraJ provuians comained in the
Operating Critena lack preci..
definiliDn or .... being interpreted based
OIl a:mveniencz rather than in
accard.anc. wnlr the ioleDl oIlh..
!tatDtes.
a. Ma.~""ng the bet>e6aal ..... of the
available water resoun:es wilhiD the
ColOrado River Bum me! ...... 1tB1e.'
Colorado River apportionment III'I! nol
pri=ry CllnoideratIlIIIS wbea the AOP i.
oeveloped.
lnCetior agreea thai the.. ...... .-d
to be conSIdered and 'I"~died so that the
Coloracto River is operated in the besl
manner _.ole. Redamation and W
Ba,m Stares baWl Cllmmilted to
concmued support and participatiOll ill
lbe ,tudy effort (through the CoIDnulo
River Max:ag=en' Work Groap) CD the
abov~ issues and other related or
affected matten.
Necessary studies will be ccmpleled
and spec5c pnxedures will be
recoDl.Olended to the CommissiODer of
RedamalioD (or guidinS preparation oi
ful".Ire AOF, far the Colorado River
System reservoirs.
l.s:Jtl 11: Whether the Operaq
Crih!na shaDId ~ tile Federal
lndimt 1n1S. respoaaibilil)' aDd pnmdor
for paticipatIoa is> l'e'Vie1ft by lDdI8Il
Tribes ID the l8OI.e _tea
participaliarr by Basin Stales.
ADaiysiz Section eo2:\b) of Public Law
9G-637 specifically nqu.itea doe
s.m.lary to amsWl wrtb ltale
lepI.-...arives (u desigDaled by the
GoverneD) if maclilical>On of lbe
Operating Criteria is coasiden.d. ht
adclition. however. the ()peratiDs
Criteria prtMde thaI -rhe Secretary will
'PO~ a fon:aaI revie.e ai the
(}peraliD:8 CriCetia atleut ""'"' 5 ,....
with participa.!ioIl b, _Ie
representatives .. each Gov.....~ IDBY
designate and saeb other putiB md
agencies as lbe Secretary may deem
appropriale.-
The Indiaa Tribes 8Dd IIWIJ' other
partie. &ad aseooOa wen! ooli6ed md
invited 11> participate ill tbi. revi.... &ad.
will be _led to participaLe ill fu!llre
le'Ii.... a. well. Na ch&oge abauld be