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<br />River Flows and Reservoir Contents <br /> <br />One comment was that water conservation should be addressed as a feasible method of providing <br />the water needed for endangered species and other uses. Another indicated that better <br />forecasting could help save water in storage in a dry winter and thus reduce impacts of providing <br />flows later in the year. <br /> <br />Water conservation is a viable means of extending the current water supplies in the west to meet <br />increasing and competing water demands. Reclamation has a very active program in this area. <br />Reclamation is providing assistance to other interested agencies and organizations in studying <br />and implementing water conservation measures. The comment on water conservation mentioned <br />ideas such as canal lining to conserve water. Such activities can reduce the needfor diversions <br />from a river (because a lined canal will not leak as much and less diversion will be needed to <br />get water to croplands); however, this does not really conserve water because the water that <br />leaked from the canal eventually moves underground to a river and supplements river flows. <br /> <br />It is recognized that accurareforecasts (of runoff into reservoirs and rivers) are very imponanr <br />as a means of not "wasting" water and can help in detennining how much water shauld be <br />stored in a dry winter for release the next year. Forecasting has improved and will continue to <br />improve; however, it must be recognized that much of the precipitation that provides reservoir <br />iriflow comes late in the winter (March and April) so forecasting is difficult and making decisions <br />on winter operations is always risky. <br /> <br />Water Rights and Water Uses <br /> <br />A large percentage of written and verbal comments stressed the concept that the water use <br />benefits associated with the historic operation of the Aspinall Unit be continued and protected <br />under the interim agreement. In addition, several people requested information on how the <br />proposals would affect Colorado's ability to store and use its Colorado River Compact <br />entitlement. Verbal and some written comments expressed a need to include historic <br />commitments made in association with the planning and construction of the Aspinall Unit. Also, <br />questions were asked on how water shortages would be shared. <br /> <br />One reviewer requested that the maximum amount of water dedicated to the fish should be . <br />pointed out; and that the statement concerning 148,000 acre-feet dedicated to the fish be <br />clarified. One agency pointed out that following completion of a Biological Opinion on the <br />Aspinall Unit, perhaps the 148,000 acre-feet of water would not be considered. <br /> <br />More information on the effect on Blue Mesa Reservoir and related resources was requested. <br /> <br />One comment pointed out that hydrology analyses used by different agencies (such as Western <br />Area Power Administration and Reclamation) should be compatible. More detail on hydrologic <br />analyses-such as inflow, outflow, evaporation data-should be included to provide greater <br />understanding of the hydrology analysis in the EA. One reviewer felt that better streamflow <br /> <br />49 <br />