OCR Text |
Show CHAPTER I 25 On June 8, 1970, after evaluation of the comments of the Upper and Lower Basin States, Secretary Hickel adopted the Operating Criteria. A letter of June 9, 1970, from the Commissioner of Reclamation explained the rationale of the decisions on these comments. The Secretary concluded that the Filling Criteria would be continued, that energy needed to replace Hoover Dam deficiencies would be purchased, that the Upper Colorado River Basin Fund will be reimbursed pursuant to Section 502 of the Basin Project Act for monies used therefrom to purchase energy, except that the costs incurred in connection with impairment of capacity and energy resulting from the drawdown of Lake Mead below elevation 1123 feet incident to the attainment of minimum power pool in Lake Powell would not be repaid. The criteria for coordinated long-range operation of Colorado River reservoirs, approved June 8, 1970, include the following provisions: The Secretary may modify them from time to time and will sponsor a formal review at least every 5 years with the States participation. The Secretary shall transmit to Congress and the Basin States Governors an annual report, starting January 1, 1972, and each January 1 thereafter, describing actual operations for the preceding compact water year and the projected plan of operation for the current year (Article 1(1)). The plan of operation shall include a determination by the Secretary of the quantity of water considered necessary to be in storage as of September 30 of that year as required by Section 602 (a) of Public Law 90-537 ("602(a) Storage"). The factors to be considered in arriving at that determination are listed; e.g., historic streamflow, the most critical periods of record, and probabilities of water supply, estimated storage depletions in the Upper Basin, including the effects of recurrence of critical periods of water supply, the report of the committee on probabilities and test studies dated October 30, 1967, and the necessity to assure that Upper Basin consumptive uses not be impaired because of failure to store sufficient water to assure delivery under Section 602(A) (1) and (2), Public Law 90-537 (Article 11(1)). If, in the plan of operation, either (a) the Upper Basin storage reservoirs active storage forecast for September 30 of the current year is less than the quantity of Section 602(a) storage determined for that date, or (b) the Lake Powell active storage forecast for that date is less than the Lake Mead active storage forecast for that date, the objective shall be to maintain a minimum release from Lake Powell of 8.23 maf for that year (Article 11(2)). But if the Upper Basin storage reservoirs active storage forecast for September 30 of the current water year is greater than the quantity of 602(a) storage, water shall be released annually from Lake Powell at a rate greater than 8.23 maf to accomplish the following objectives: (a) To the extent it can be reasonably applied in the Lower Division States, but no such release shall be made when the active storage in Lake Powell is less than the active storage in Lake Mead; (b) To maintain, as nearly as practicable, active storage in Lake Mead equal to the active storage in Lake Powell; and (c) To avoid anticipated spills from Lake Powell (Article 11(3)). In the application of Article 11(3) the objective will be to pass the releases through Glen Canyon Powerplant as soon as practicable, utilizing the available capability of the powerplant, in order to equalize the active storage in Lake Powell and Lake Mead (Article 11(4)). Releases from Lake Powell pursuant to the criteria shall not prejudice either Basin's interests with respect to required deliveries at Lee Ferry pursuant to the Compact (Article 11(5)). Lake Mead is to be operated to meet Mexican Treaty obligations, reasonable consumptive use requirements of mainstream users in the Lower Basin, net river and net reservoir losses, and regulatory waste (Article III(D). Until Central Arizona Project water deliveries are made, Lower Basin reasonable consumptive use requirements will be met (Article 111(2)). Thereafter, the consumptive use requirements will be met in light of the following situations: normal (7.5 maf); surplus (i.e., quantities greater than normal); and shortage (i.e., insufficient water to satisfy 7.5 maf annual consumptive use requirements) (Article 111(5)). The criteria specified the relevant factors to consider in connection with "surplus" and "shortages." Definitions are contained in Article IV. |