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Show EFFECTS OF USING THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER BASIN FUND For Replacement of Diminutions in Generation of Energy and Impairment to Generating Capacity at Hoover Dam Powerplants Attributed to Filling Reservoirs of the Colorado River Storage Project On March 13, 1963 at 2:00 o'clock p.m., the two outside gates of the left diversion tunnel at Glen Canyon Dam were closed. This act of controlling the flow of the Colorado River signaled the initiation of operation under the Secretary's "General Principles." The "General Principles to Govern, and Operating Criteria for, Glen Canyon Reservoir (Lake Powell) and Lake Mead During the Lake Powell Filling Period" were approved by Secretary of the Interior on April 2, 1962 and published in Federal Register, 27 F. R. 6850 (July 19, 1962). Paragraph 5 of the "General Principles" requires that diminutions in generation of firm energy ("deficiencies") at Hoover Dam caused by the operation of Upper Basin reservoirs during the Lake Powell filling period shall be replaced at the expense of the Upper Colorado River Basin Fund. Partial restitution to that fund after 1987 is possible if Congress so directs. By the end of January 1964, only 3.1 million acre-feet of water had been acquired at Lake Powell, and Lake Mead had dropped to elevation 1,131.68 ft. At that time, and as the season progressed, it became increasingly evident that, under strict adherence to the "General Principles," it would be impossible to fill the minimum power pool (elev. 3490 ft., content 6.1 million acre-feet) at Glen Canyon by the time the generators would be ready to operate in the fall of 1964, and, at the same time hold Lake Mead at rated power head (elev. 1123 ft.). In order to maintain rated power head at Hoover Dam Power-plants, water previously stored at Lake Powell was evacuated to a low of 2.56 million acre-feet on May 11, 1964, at which time the Secretary resumed storage in Lake Powell under terms of his announcement: "Operation of Lake Mead below Elevation 1123 by Reason of Resumption of Storage Operation at Lake Powell." The Secretary's May 11, 1964 announcement provided, in addition to the allowance for deficiencies in firm energy generation determined pursuant to his previous "General Principles," that "the United States will replace deficiencies in Hoover Powerplant capa- 86 |
