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e e e or)1..5~'? ASPINALL UNIT ACCOUNTING ISSUES APRIL 1, 1996 Back in January, 1992 Reclamation and the National Park Service (NPS) entered into discussions with the state of Colorado concerning the development of a water service contract for the NPS which would help address issues associated with the federal reserved water right quantification for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument. Accordingly, the NEPA process for this contract was initiated and a "Scoping Report for the Gunnison River Contract" issued in March 1993. In addition, since 1992, Reclamation and the NPS have used an example contract accounting process on strictly a trial basis during the Aspinall Unit operations meetings which have been held in January, April and late August of each year. The state of Colorado is willing to discuss the accounting issues and work towards there resolution. However, we have spent numerous hours working on this contract and related issues already and are of the opinion that not a great deal of progress will be made until the needs of the federal reserved water right and the endangered fish are clearly identified. It was apparent in the scoping meetings that Gunnison Basin interests are not going to buy into any accounting procedure until the quantities of water required by the Monument and the endangered fish are firmly identified and justified. One of the most constructive things the NPS could do from Colorado's standpoint is to identify the amounts of water it would seek in its quantification case. Absent such information, the state of Colorado will be reluctant to spend significant time working on accounting issues. The purpose of this issue paper is to briefly recount the significant issues which the NPS contract accounting must address. Please bear in mind this is the first attempt t6 recount the significant issues in almost three years and thus it should be considered preliminary and subject to change. Also, as you are aware, there are a number of questions that surround each accounting issue that has been identified below. The Scoping Report and attached comment letters should be consulted for a more complete discussion of the issues. The accounting issues and questions are as follows: I. Blue Mesa Reservoir Target Elevations Fill by the end of July; Drawdown to 581,000 AF of live storage by December 31 each year; Do not draw below minimum power pool elevation if at all possible. 2. Blue Mesa Storage Accounts Blue Mesa Storage Decrees; Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association Storage; Is there a need for additional storage accounts to handle releases made for purposes in item number 3 below. 3. Aspinall Unit Storage Releases For Endangered fish by contract; Section 7 consultations;