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Show 44 Flood control storage space varies during the year. In general, storage space is made available for anticipated floods by releasing water in accordance with the expected inflow at any given time. Water for irrigation and domestic uses is ordered by the water user agencies. While there may be minor variations of practice from one water user to another, typically, the procedure is as follows. On Wednesday of any given week, the agency orders the daily quantity of water needed for the week beginning on the following Monday. When the water orders have been received, the Office of River Control totals them and then schedules the rate of release per day for the following week. This schedule must be put into effect over the weekend, for it takes 72 hours for water at Parker Dam to reach Imperial Dam. Records are kept of the amount of water ordered and the amount of water actually taken by each water user. In addition to scheduling water releases for domestic and irrigation users in the United States, water is released for sluicing at Imperial Dam and to service the Mexican water treaty. Mexico is entitled to receive from 1,500,000 to 1,700,000 acre-feet annually depending upon the supply of water. The Mexican order is given one year in advance for delivery on a month by month basis. The monthly order can be changed upon thirty days' notice. Davis Dam is used for making water releases pursuant to the Mexican order. The last priority for water releases is for generation of power. Prior to June 1, 1955, water in excess of that needed for irrigation and domestic uses was released for power purposes. However, as of that date this practice was discontinued and, as a result, only 62^2 per cent of firm energy was delivered during that year.85 55Tr. 823-895, 938 (Stanley). |
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Original Report: State of Arizona, complainant v. State of California, Palo Verde Irrigation District, Imperial Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County Water District, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Los Angeles, California, City of San Diego, California, and County of San Diego, California |