Colorado River Basin Update

Wyoming Water Development Commission and Select Water Committee – Joint Meeting 13 May, 2021 Outline 1. Update on current hydrology 2. Current Topics A. Demand Management ( Wyoming and UCRC efforts) B. Drought Response Operations C. Discussion on Curtailment Procedures i. Discussions with Reclamation on Fontenelle Reservoir D. Discussion on post-2026 river operations E. Lake Powell Pipeline discussions 3. Wrap-Up 4. Q&A

Upper Basin Drought Contingency Plan

Three Elements A. Augmentation B. Demand Management Storage Agreement C. Drought Response Operations Agreement Demand Management A. Wyoming Discussions (support provided by UW extension) 1. Public meetings held during the fall of 2019 • Heard interest from water users in discussing both demand management and curtailment 2. Worked with key stakeholder group as well as focus groups on specific topics 3. Draft report prepared by UW team; final report out soon • Provides summary of public input and some recommendations on next steps • Will not address ultimate feasibility of Demand Management in Wyoming. More investigation still needed.

B. UCRC effort 1. Four UB states & UCRC staff working with team of consultants to determine feasibility (technical, legal, policy and economic issues) 2. To be completed by fall of 2022 Drought Response Operations

Navajo Reservoir Flaming Gorge Blue Mesa Reservoir Reservoir

 Agree on operations to implement under emergency conditions to maintain minimum power pool elevation at Lake Powell.  By conserving water (temporarily) in Lake Powell or moving water available from upper CRSP facilities. Lake Powell Drought Response Operations

A. Agreement Establishes a process to rely on available water in the CRSPA Initial Units as needed to reduce the risk of Lake Powell dropping below elevation 3,525’.

B. Under the January, 2021, minimum probable 24-Month Study, the forecast projected Lake Powell’s elevation to fall below 3,525 feet in 2022. This model result initiated enhanced monitoring and coordination under the Drought Response Operations Agreement.

C. The DROA coordination began in February will continue until either (i) the minimum probable projected elevation remains above 3,525 feet for 24 months or (ii) the process moves to the next step when the most probable projected elevation indicates Powell elevations below 3,525 feet and a Drought Response Operations Plan is developed.

D. 3,525’ target elevation to protect Lake Powell’s minimum power pool and infrastructure (somewhere between 3,490’ and 3,525’).

Curtailment Discussions

A. UCRC Discussions: Ongoing UCRC effort to complete consumptive use study and discuss implementation of certain provisions of articles III through VI of the 1948 Upper Basin Compact relating to curtailment.

A. Wyoming ongoing discussions with BOR regarding Fontenelle including: 1. Rip-rap placement (bottom 80,000 AF) 2. Contracting options (repayment; water service; stand-by) 3. Potential releases for Compact compliance 4. Fontenelle operations during drought

Post-2026 River Operations

A. 2007 Interim Guidelines expire in 2026. The 7 Basin States are in discussions regarding whether to recommend that the current guidelines should expire, be modified, or be replaced. B. General Goals: Improve operations related to Lakes Powell and Mead; Create water supply certainty; Avoid litigation; Avoid the risk of curtailment in the Upper Basin; Minimize the risk of shortages in the Lower Basin; Continued coordination with Mexico through the US IBWC; Promote water conservation; Maintain compliance with applicable federal environmental laws; Build a sufficient coalition (Tribes, NGOs, water users, etc.) to pass legislation if it becomes necessary. C. The State does not intend post-2026 river operations to: Modify apportionments, obligations, rights, or the governance structure under the Law of the River; Interfere with any right of the State to administer and regulate water within its boundaries; Determine Tribal rights to water; Dictate how Mexico will use its water; Focus on other resources throughout the Basin. Post-2026 River Operations

A. During Negotiations, the State intends to provide updates and information about the negotiations, and also provide opportunities for input and feedback from water users, stakeholders, interested members of the public, and others. B. The 7 States will coordinate regularly with each other as necessary in order to facilitate negotiations. C. The 7 States will also coordinate with the Bureau of Reclamation regarding technical assistance as needed during negotiations. D. Once the 7 States have completed negotiations and have prepared one or more alternatives, the alternatives will be provided to Reclamation as part of the NEPA process. E. Once the NEPA process begins, Reclamation will lead the environmental review of the alternatives developed for post-2026 river operations. Lake Powell Pipeline

A. Utah has proposed building the Lake Powell Pipeline which would ultimately deliver 86,249 acre-feet of water from Lake Powell to the St. George area in southwest Utah.

A. The Basin States are currently in discussions regarding implications of Utah using water apportioned to the Upper Basin in the Lower Basin portion of Utah, as well as the details, impacts, and accounting of Lake Powell Pipeline water use. Wrap-Up!