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<br />UIJ~ 1:14 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />invitation, thirteen stakeholders responded, offering their comments and concerns related to <br />Colorado River reservoir operations. Staffhas received a copy of all the stakeholders' comments and <br />will summarize them for the next Board meeting. Reclamation is also attempting to collate this <br />infonnation and will prepare a document which will be sent to the Colorado River Management <br />Work Group members on March 24,1997. Included in the Board folder is a copy of Reclamation's <br />request letter dated March 4,1997, and the Board's response to Reclamation's request. <br /> <br />After a number of delays, Reclamation has finally begun work on the Senator Wash Facility. <br />Included in the Board folder is a letter dated February 14, 1997 from Reclamation announcing that <br />the facility would be out-of-service from February 25th to March 27th while the contractor is coating <br />the interior of the penstock. <br /> <br />Included in the Board folder is a News Release, dated February 28th, issued by the Central <br />Arizona Project (CAP) announcing that the CAP set a new record by delivering 1,115,862 acre-feet <br />of water during calendar year 1996 as compared to 952,539 acre-feet during 1995, the fonner record <br />year. <br /> <br />At the January Board meeting, I reported that Reclamation had recently issued for review and <br />comment a Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) for backwater restoration and enhancement of <br />the Imperial Division of the Lower Colorado River. The deadline for comments was February 13, <br />1997. Included in the Board folder is a copy of the Board's comments, which generally agree with <br />the intent of the project; however, they state that the DEA should be expanded to better explain the <br />need and justification for the proposed project and must be fully coordinated with the Lower <br />Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program. Also, included in the Board folder are copies <br />of the comment letters from the lID and the Arizona Department of Water Resources concerning the <br />DEA. <br /> <br />At last month's Board meeting we continued our discussion related to Citrus Heights <br />Ranches' (CHR) request to increase its ground water pumping and the Board's decision not to <br />execute the indemnification agreement proposed by CHR. Reclamation has reached the same <br />conclusion as the Board and has infonned CHR of its decision. Reclamation's letters to CHR, dated <br />February 7 and February 13, 1997, are included in the Board folder. <br /> <br />In March and August of 1996, the Board provided comments to Reclamation concerning <br />proposed surplus water contracts with The Gas Company and Pacific Gas & Electric Company, <br />respectively. A significant concern dealt with the priority for delivery of surplus water with regards <br />to Present Perfected Rights Entitlement holders and the California Seven-Party Agreement of August <br />18, 1931. In response to the Board's and MWD's concerns, I have included in the Board folder <br />Reclamation's response, which affIrms that the present perfected rights in California and the <br />priorities for the use of water as contained in California's Seven Party Agreement will be satisfied <br />prior to other surplus and/or unused apportionment contract rights. <br /> <br />Included in the Board folder is a newsletter from the Western Water Policy Review Advisory <br />Commission announcing that it will be hosting a conference on Tribal water issues, March 17 & 18, <br /> <br />3 <br />