A Perspective on Today’s Colorado River Issues

Upper Colorado Region River Basins

Green, Colorado and San Juan Rivers

Colorado River Basin Hydrology 16.5 million acre-feet (maf) allocated annually 13 to 14.5 maf of consumptive use annually 60 maf of storage 15.1 maf average annual “natural” inflow into Lake Powell over past 100 years Inflows are highly variable year-to-year

Natural Flow Colorado River at Lees Ferry Gaging Station, Arizona Water Year 1906 to 2009

Colorado River Basin Storage (as of July 20, 2010) Current Storage Percent Full MAF Elevation (Feet) Lake Powell65%15.733,638 Lake Mead40%10.461,088 Total System Storage 58%34.42NA

2010 Upper Colorado Projected Apr–Jul Inflow as of April 5, 2010 Flaming Gorge – 38% Blue Mesa – 78% Navajo – 89% Lake Powell – 63%

State of the System ( ) WY Unregulated inflow into Powell % of Average Powell and Mead Storage maf Powell and Mead % Capacity * Inflow based on latest CBRFC forecast; storage and percent capacity based on April Month Study

Min Power Pool 3,490 ft 3,642 ft maf (65% of Live Capacity) 3,370 ft Dead Pool Lake Powell Capacity 3,700 ft 24.3 maf Dead Pool (1.9 maf) Inactive Pool (4.0 maf) Not to scale 81 ft 129 ft As of July 20, ,575 ft Lower Elevation Balancing Tier Mid-Elevation Release Tier 3,525 ft Equalization Tier Upper Elevation Balancing Tier Equalization Elevation (WY 2010) 3,619 ft

Lower SNWA Intake 1,000 ft 1,100 ft maf (44% of Live Capacity) 895 ft Dead Pool Elevation Lake Mead Capacity 1,219.6 ft 25.9 maf Dead Pool (2.0 maf) Inactive Pool (7.5 maf) Not to scale 120 ft As of Apr 11, ,145 ft 25 ft 1,075 ft Shortage Conditions 1,050 ft Surplus Conditions Normal or ICS Surplus Conditions Min Power Pool 15.9 maf

Colorado River Water Supply & Use

Probability of Lower Basin Shortage

Animas-La Plata Project Nighthorse Reservoir Durango Pumping Plant Construction of entire project nearly 66 % complete (check this %)

Shortage Criteria & Coordinated Operating Criteria for L. Powell & L. Mead ROD signed in Dec  Multiple entities involved in EIS process  Tremendous assistance from stakeholders  Criteria in place till 2026

Glen Canyon Adaptive Management Program  State-of-the-art process  Diverse stakeholder groups  Independent review panels  Recommendations to the Secretary

Glen Canyon Dam High Flow Test

Glen Canyon High Flow Test

We’ve begun a process to create High Flow Protocols

Glen Canyon High Flow Test

Past 10 Year’s Upper Basin Deliveries WY Lees Ferry AF ,521, ,341, ,339, ,360, ,335, ,360, ,492, ,397, ,164, ,395,855 Average 8,570,753

Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program Salinity damage totals nearly $330 million per year in U.S. Projects prevent more than 550,000 tons of salt from entering Colorado River each year

Colorado River Endangered Fish Species Bonytail (Gila elegans)Colorado Pikeminnow (Ptycheilus lucius) Humpback Chub (Gila cypha) Razorback Sucker (Xyrauchen texanus)

Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Programs in the Upper Colorado River and San Juan River Enables water development to proceed in compliance with ESA

Questions/Discussion