1. Strategies for Colorado River Water Management Jaci Gould Deputy Regional Director Lower Colorado Region

3. Lower Basin Colorado River Management Objectives Provide flood control and river regulation Meet water demands Generate hydropower Enhance and maintain ecosystem habitat Recover and protect endangered species Provide recreation

4. Hydrology Review 16.5 million acre-feet (maf) allocated annually 13 to 14.5 maf of consumptive use annually 60 maf of storage 15.0 maf average annual “natural” inflow into Lake Powell over past 100 years Inflows are highly variable year-to-year

5. Law of the River Colorado River has been described as the “most closely regulated and controlled stream in the U.S.” Law of the River includes: –Federal and state statutes, inter-state compacts –Court decisions and Decrees –International Treaty –Contracts, Operating criteria –Administrative Decisions and Guidelines –Watermaster Role –2007 Interim Guidelines

6. Seven years of unprecedented drought Increased water use To date, there has never been a shortage in the Lower Basin and there were no shortage guidelines Operations between Lake Powell and Lake Mead were coordinated only at the higher reservoir levels “equalization” Impetus for the Interim Guidelines

7. Lake Mead operations, Lower Basin surplus and shortage operations. Addresses coordinated operation of Lakes Powell and Mead during the interim period – until 2026. Coordinated operations: to avoid curtailment of uses in Upper Basin, minimize shortages in Lower basin, and to ‘Equalize’ or balance the contents of Lakes Powell & Mead as closely as possible by the end of the Water Year. (Sept) Agrees to use the Reclamation 2-year computer model (24- Month Study) to project operations of the Colorado River reservoirs to determine shortage and surplus conditions. 2007 Interim Guidelines

8. Colorado River Drought 2000-2015 is the driest 16-year period in over 100 years of historical records (2013-2015 are estimated) Tree-ring reconstructions show more severe droughts have occurred over the past 1200 years (e.g., drought in the mid 1100s) The 2016 April through July runoff forecast is 74% of average 1 as of April 1, 2016 Not unusual to have a few years of above average inflow during longer-term droughts (e.g., the 1950s) 1 Percent of average is based on the period of record from 1981-2010.

9. Drought Response "Drought Resiliency" is defined as the capacity of a community to cope with and respond to drought. Reclamation funds drought resiliency projects to help communities prepare for and respond to drought. Typically, these types of projects are referred to as "mitigation actions" in a drought contingency plan. Projects must meet one of the following goals: Increase the reliability of water supply and sustainability Improve water management and operational flexibility Facilitate voluntary sale, transfer or exchange of water Benefit for fish and wildlife and the environment Mitigate poor water quality caused by drought.

10. Collaborative Studies 2012 Colorado River Basin Supply and Demand Study 2013 Moving Forward Working Teams Landscape Conservation Cooperatives 2016 Secure Water Act Report

11. Desert LCC The Desert LCC encompasses portions of five states: California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, as well as a substantial portion of Northern Mexico. Led by Reclamation and the U.S. F&WS

12. Strategies: Collaborative Efforts December 2014 MOU with the 7 Colorado River Basin States 2015 Pilot System Conservation Program - Extended into 2016 2012 Minute 319 and continued negotiations with Mexico Drought Contingency Plan

13. Strategies: Grants and Funding WaterSMART Grants Title XVI Advance Water Treatment WCFSP Brackish Groundwater Facility

14. Reclamation Water Conservation Field Services Program Assistance In the Lower Colorado Region, the WCFSP helps residents and agencies achieve local water conservation goals. WCFSP focuses on improving the efficiency of water use in homes, on farms, and in industry. using a combination of new technology and best management practices..

15. The WCFSP encourages water conservation practices; helps water agencies develop and implement effective water management and conservation plans; coordinates with state and other local conservation program efforts; and fosters improved water management on a regional, statewide and watershed basis. WCFSP

16. Decision-Making Considerations for Future Colorado River Actions Sound technical knowledge Legal and political constraints State, Tribal and stakeholder involvement International Relations Funding

17. Lower Colorado Region To learn more, visit our websites: Bureau of Reclamation www.usbr.gov Lower Colorado Region www.usbr.gov/lc