WSP08046

• File Number: 8220.101.09.A
• Description: Glen Canyon Dam/Lake Powell
• State: AZ
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 7/5/1998
• Title: CWCB Agenda Item #4, May 14-15-1988-Board Meeting - Glen Canyon Dam Environmental Studies
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Board Memo

, ,

,~
tS-.\:j

Agenda Item 10
May 5, 1988

With respect to reservoir operations during the conduct of
any additional studies, this is the area in which the four
agencies are not in agreement. Their differences relate to two
main questions:

(1) Establishment of new and higher minimum flows, and

Whether or not to fluctuate reservoir releases in a
manner different from what would otherwise be called
for by current operating procedures.

As for minimum flows below Glen Canyon Dam, the National
Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife service take the
position that sufficient information is already available to
justify increasing the minimum flow from 1,000 to 5,000 cfs on
an interim basis pending the results of the proposed additional
studies. Those two agencies are of the view that this can be
done without triggering the NBPA process since the increased
minimum flows would be characterized as an "interim"
operation. It is my understanding that the Bureau of
Reclamation 'believes that the minimum flow should not be
formally changed on even an interim basis because they believe
that this would trigger the NBPA process, which would open up a
whole range of addi tional legal and procedural issues. Insofar
as the Western Area Power Administration is concerned, they
think that the establishment of a new and higher minimum flow
is unsupported by existing data and, more importantly, would
violate the authorized purposes of the Colorado River Storage
Project Act.

(2)

,
,.

l
~

,
.
~
~
'to
~~

g

".

..~
I;

.,H
::{

~..

".

r:,

,
,.
,
r:
,
"
i-,""

With respect to the issue of fluctuating flows during the
duration of any additional studies, Reclamation believes that
they have the flexibility, within existing law and operating
criteria, to fluctuate reservoir releases in a manner which
will optimize the scientific value of any further studies which
are performed. Thus, they believe that it is important to
confOrm reservoir operations to the optimum requirements for
scientifically sound studies so as to be able to explore the
range of impacts caused by fluctuating releases. Furthermore,
they believe that this can be done without triggering the NEPA
process. Were this not the case, I am under the impression
that they would not take the position which they are. Finally,
they take the position that interim reservoir operations should
be terminated if major negative impacts would occur due to
extreme high or low runoff conditions.

r,
b
~~
~,
>{'
,"'"
~;,
Fl
~
~.
~
~:

"j~,<
'."

-.'

The Western Area Power Administration differs with the
Bureau of Reclamation on this matter. They believe that any
further studies should focus on the impacts of existing

-3-