Study of Long-Term Augmentation Options for the Water Supply of the Colorado River System
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The Seven Colorado River Basin States Study of Long-Term Augmentation Options for the Water Supply of the Colorado River System Helping to provide a clear vision of water augmentation in the Colorado River Basin March 2008 Colorado River Water Consultants CH2MHILL · BLACK & VEATCH CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Technical Committee 1 Purpose of Study Kay Brothers, Nevada 1 Introduction Larry Dozier, Arizona Robert King, Utah 2 A Shared Resource Rod Kuharich, Colorado 4 Cooperative Solutions Jan Matusak, California 6 Long-Term Options Don Ostler, Upper Colorado River Commission Randy Seaholm, Colorado 8 Brackish Water Desalination John Shields, Wyoming 9 Coalbed Methane Produced John Whipple, New Mexico Water Jerry Zimmerman, California 10 Conjunctive Use CRWC Management Team Les Lampe 11 Ocean Water Desalination Ted Way Sean Goldwasser 12 A Wide Range of Gregg Thompson Opportunities Melissa Blanton 14 Power Plant - Reduction of Consumptive Use 15 Reservoir Evaporation Control 16 River Basin Imports 17 Stormwater Storage 18 Vegetation Management 19 Water Imports Using Ocean Routes 20 Water Reuse 21 Weather Modification 22 Summary 23 Colorado River Water Consultants Staff 24 Where To Find Out More Seven Colorado River Basin States Purpose of Study The Seven Colorado River Basin (CRWC) to provide a Technical augmentation of the Colorado States of Arizona, California, Col- Evaluation of Options for Long- River. Augmentation strategies orado, Nevada, New Mexico, Term Augmentation of the selected will be carried forward in Utah, and Wyoming (Seven States) Colorado River System (Study). coordination with the U.S. Bureau are implementing a proactive Twelve potential options were of Reclamation (Bureau) and others program to meet the needs of water evaluated in terms of water quality, as appropriate. The Seven Colorado users within the Colorado River technical feasibility, reliability, River Basin States recognize that Basin (Basin) and to provide con- environmental factors, and permit- there will be many challenges tinued stewardship of the Colorado ting considerations. involved with advancing alterna- River. As part of this program, the tives and are willing to consider The Seven States will use the infor- Seven States authorized the Col- partnerships beneficial to all. mation from this study in orado River Water Consultants evaluating long-term strategies for Introduction Drought conditions in the Colorado by the Seven States and others to The major portion of this report River watershed have demonstrated meet the needs of water users describes the Study methodology the need for development of long- within the Basin and to provide and findings. Supporting documents range measures to manage the continued stewardship of the Col- in the form of White Papers were system as well as implement orado River. prepared for 12 potential long-term options to augment the flow of the options. Options were evaluated This report briefly traces the history River. This is further supported by against parameters related to water of the River and discusses the legal data from reconstructed streamflow quality, technical implementation, framework which provides protec- of the Colorado River and the environmental considerations, per- tions for the Seven States, Indian potential impacts to water supplies mitting, relative costs and projected Tribes within the Basin, and in the Basin that may happen if water yield. Through a review Mexico. Ongoing programs are also climate change and global warming process it was determined that six of described, including activities of the occur as presently predicted. The the options should be evaluated in U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Study is part of multi-faceted more detail at the Technical Memo- cooperative programs within and proactive efforts being implemented randum (TM) level. among the Seven States. Interactive Process Evaluated Technical Features of Potential Long-Term Water Augmentation Options Coalbed Methane Adequately Reservoir Evaporation Control Described Water Imports Using Ocean Routes Review Published Information Technical Brackish Water Desalination Identify Assessment More Prepare Technical Conjunctive Use Initial Options and of Options Information White Committee Ocean Water Desalination Evaluation Including Needed Papers Workshop River Basin Imports Meetings Parameters Expert Panel (TMs) with Seven Review Stormwater Storage States and USBR to Collect Additional Part of Power Plant – Reduction of Information States’ Consumptive Use Planning Weather Modification Efforts Water Reuse Vegetation Management Jun. 01, Sep.15, Oct. 1, Oct. 15, Mar. 15, 2006 2006 2006 2006 2007 1 A Shared Resource For millions of years, the Col- The first development of the River Colorado River Million Acre- orado River has flowed from the has been traced to 600 AD, when Consumptive Feet/Year Rocky Mountains into the Gulf of the Anasazi Indians developed a Use Allocations (MAFY) California. Over eons, the River distribution system in Chaco California 4.4 cut a channel which became the Canyon in northwestern New Colorado 3.9 Grand Canyon, considered one of Mexico. Spanish explorers arrived the Seven Natural Wonders of the in the mid-16th century, followed Arizona 2.85 World. by religious settlers in the mid- Utah 1.7 1800s. In 1867, Congress The River begins as snowmelt in Wyoming 1.0 authorized $50,000 for construc- the Rocky Mountains. The tion of an irrigation canal on the New Mexico 0.85 snowmelt travels through a series Colorado River Indian Reserva- of tributaries into the River, which Nevada 0.3 tion, the first federally-funded winds its way south for 1,400 Mexico 1.5 irrigation project in the U.S. Two miles. The River drains 241,900 years later, John Wesley Powell led Total 16.5 MAFY square miles, with total annual a three-boat expedition that natural flows at Lees Ferry histori- explored the River through the cally ranging from 5.5 million Grand Canyon. acre-feet (MAF) to over 25 million acre-feet from 1906 through 2006. Long-Term Natural Flow of the Colorado River at Lees Ferry, Arizona Is Lower than Runoff Assumed for Compact 30 30 RUNNING AVERAGE 10-YEAR AVERAGE 25 25 20 20 15 15 10 10 ANNUAL FLOWANNUAL Acre-feet) (Million 5 5 0 0 1905 1910 1915 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 YEARS USBR Final EIS, Colorado River Interim Guidelines for Lower Basin 1996 through 2005: Provisional data, subject to change. Shortages and Coordinated Operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead 2 Large-scale diversions from the studies of tree rings and hydrologic The ever-evolving Law of the River began at the outset of the data have shown that the River has River is a combination of interstate 20th century. Because of the com- been drier and more prone to compacts, U.S. Supreme Court peting demands on the River, it has severe drought than was the case in decrees, a treaty between the the most complete allocation of its the early 20th century. The year United States and Mexico, federal water resources of any river in the 2000 ushered in a major drought and state legislation, and associ- world and is also one of the most that has exacerbated pressures ated contracts and agreements. heavily regulated. created by the needs of a rapidly- Key components include: expanding population. The River • Colorado River Compact A key component of the “Law of now supplies water to over 35 (1922). Divided the River into the River” is the Colorado River million people and over two the Upper and Lower Basin at Compact, approved in 1922. The Lees Ferry, Arizona. Allocated million acres of irrigated land. agreement apportioned consump- use of 7.5 MAFY to both the tive use of water between the Another complicating factor is Upper and Lower Basins to Upper and Lower Basin States. The climate change. Temperature- apportion among themselves. Upper and Lower Basins were each related effects on stream flows • Boulder Canyon Project Act apportioned 7.5 MAF for annual could include increased rain to (Introduced 1922, enacted in consumptive use. A 1944 treaty snow ratios, increased winter 1928). Authorized the with Mexico guarantees an annual runoff/decreased summer runoff, construction of Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, the largest reservoir flow of not less than 1.5 MAF, and earlier and faster snowmelt. A on the River system. Authorized except in times of extraordinary recent University of Washington Arizona, California, and Nevada drought or serious accident to the report found that the Basin may be to enter into an agreement irrigation systems in the United “especially susceptible to reduced apportioning, respectively, 2.8 States. Rarely since the signing of stream flow volumes” due to the MAF, 4.4 MAF, and 0.3 MAF the Compact has the River had a almost complete allocation of con- annually to these states. 10-year average natural flow equal sumptive uses. • U.S. Treaty with Mexico (1944). to these allocations, which indi- Allotted 1.5 MAFY to Mexico. Predictions of precipitation cates the importance of reservoir change, especially over the interior • Colorado River Storage Act storage and the need for augmenta- (1956). Paved the way for of the continent (e.g. Colorado tion of the basin water supplies. construction of Glen Canyon River Basin) span the entire range Dam forming Lake Powell, the In the past decade, it has been from substantial (greater than 20 second major reservoir on the determined that the base flow used percent on annual average) mainstem of the Colorado River to establish Colorado