An Overview: Upper Water Management and the Rio Grande Compact

09/19/06

Rolf Schmidt-Petersen NMISC Rio Grande Basin Manager Rio Grande Water Management Agencies/Entities

• U.S. Bureau Of Reclamation • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs • International Boundary & Water Commission • New Mexico Office of the State Engineer • New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission • State of Colorado DWR • Rio Grande Compact Commission • Pueblo’s and Tribe’s • Conservancy and Irrigation districts • Acequias • Cities, counties, mutual domestic water associations • Flood control authorities The Upper Rio Grande Basin Rio Chama below

Cochiti Dam

San Acacia Diversion Dam San Marcial Railroad Bridge and Reservoir

Generalized History

• Late 1800’s – Drought and Increased Irrigation Diversion in Colorado • 1896 – Federal Embargo on Water Development • 1906 – Treaty of 1906 • 1916 – Elephant Butte Reservoir Operational • 1925 – Federal Water Development Embargo Lifted • Late 1920’s – Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District – Construct the MRGCD diversion dams, canals, drains, and El Vado Reservoir • 1929 – Interim Rio Grande Compact – Sets limits on depletions of water Generalized History (Continued)

• 1935 – El Vado Reservoir Completed – Supreme Court Lawsuit by Texas • 1938 – Rio Grande Compact Signed, – Supreme Court Lawsuit dismissed The Rio Grande Compact

• Signed in 1938 in Santa Fe following those four decades of controversy to: – Effect an equitable apportionment of the waters of the Rio Grande above Ft. Quitman, Texas – Remove all causes of present and future controversy – Promote interstate comity The Rio Grande Compact

• The Compact apportions the waters of the Upper Rio Grande Basin amongst the three States • The Compact does not affect the obligations of the United States to Indian Tribes or impair their Rights • San Juan-Chama Project Water is not subject to Compact apportionment The Rio Grande Compact - Colorado

• Colorado is Required to Deliver Water to New Mexico at the Stateline The Rio Grande Compact - Colorado The Rio Grande Compact - Colorado

COLORADO ANNUAL COMPACT ALLOCATION - RIO GRANDE

1400

a 1200

In above average year, flow in excess of 560,000 acre feet must be delivered to New Mexico. 1000

800 Colorado Delivery Obligation to New Mexico

600

400

ANNUAL COMPACT ALLOCATION (1000 (1000 ALLOCATION COMPACT ANNUAL Available for Depletion in Colorado

200

0 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 ANNUAL FLOW AT DEL NORTE (1000 af) The Rio Grande Compact - Colorado

COLORADO ANNUAL COMPACT ALLOCATION - CONEJOS RIVER

700 1000

a In above average year, flow in excess of 224,000 acre feet must be delivered to Rio Grande. 600

500

Delivery Obligation to Rio Grande 400

300

200

ANNUAL COMPACT ALLOCATION ( ALLOCATION COMPACT ANNUAL Available for Depletion

100

0 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 ANNUAL CONEJOS RIVER INDEX SUPPLY (1000 af) The Rio Grande Compact – New Mexico

• New Mexico is Required to Deliver a Portion of the Flow at Otowi Bridge to Texas at Elephant Butte Reservoir – An explicit Middle Rio Grande allocation • If depletions change between the Stateline with Colorado and Otowi Bridge, modify Middle Rio Grande allocation The Upper Rio Grande Basin Otowi Gage Elephant Butte Dam Middle Rio Grande Compact Allocation and Obligation

ANNUAL COMPACT ALLOCATION CHART

3000

2800 In above average year flow in excess of 405,000

2600 acre-feet must be passed below Elephant Butte Reservoir 2400

2200

2000

1800

1600

1400

1200 New Mexico Delivery Obligation to below Elephant Butte Dam 1000

800

ANNUAL COMANNUAL PACT ALLOCATION (1000 acre-feet)600

400 Available for Depletion above Elephant Butte 200 Dam in New Mexico 0 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 2600 2800 3000 ANNUAL INFLOW AT OTOWI (Otowi Index Supply, 1000 acre-feet) The Rio Grande Compact - Texas

• From Elephant Butte Reservoir to Fort Quitman, Texas – 57% of the Supply delivered to New Mexican’s The Rio Grande Project Compact Storage Restrictions

• If We Accrue Debits to Texas: – Water Must be Retained in Storage in Post- 1929 reservoirs to the extent of the debits and cannot be used • If Usable Storage in Rio Grande Project Reservoirs is low: – cannot increase the amount of native water stored in post-1929 reservoirs • An accepted Relinquishment allows for some upstream storage Credit, Debit, and Spills

• Colorado and New Mexico Credit Water is held in Elephant Butte Reservoir • Colorado may accrue up to 100,000 acre-feet of debit • New Mexico may accrue up to 200,000 acre-feet of debit • Spills from Elephant Butte Reservoir eliminate credits and debits Generalized History (Continued)

• 1941 – Severe Flooding north of Elephant Butte Reservoir • 1948 & 1950 Flood Control Acts – Jemez Canyon, Abiquiu, Galisteo, and Cochiti dams – Rehabilitation of the MRGCD • 1950’s – Severe Drought • Late 1950’s – Additional Supreme Court Compact Litigation • Late 1960’s – San Juan-Chama Project – Diversions from San Juan Basin to Heron Reservoir Rio Grande Floodway in 1952

Looking downstream from south boundary of Bosque del Apache (courtesy of Reclamation) The Middle Rio Grande Project –Flood Control Reservoirs The Middle Rio Grande Project – Rehabilitate the MRG The San Juan-Chama Project – Import Water to Rio Grande

Source: SSPA, July 2000 Water Supply Study of the Middle Rio Grande New Mexico’s Compact Compliance

Rio Grande Compact Cumulative Delivery Departure 1940 - 2006

300

200

100

0

-100 2006 Credit = 37,100 AF -200

-300 Departure in Thousands of AF of Thousands in Departure -400

-500

-600 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Time (Calendar Years) Variable and Limited Surface Water Supply 210,000 El Vado Reservoir - Historical End of Month Storage Levels

180,000

150,000

120,000

90,000

Content (AF) 60,000

30,000

0 Jan-35 Jan-38 Jan-41 Jan-44 Jan-47 Jan-50 Jan-53 Jan-56 Jan-59 Jan-62 Jan-65 Jan-68 Jan-71 Jan-74 Jan-77 Jan-80 Jan-83 Jan-86 Jan-89 Jan-92 Jan-95 Jan-98 Jan-01 Hydrologic Reality at Albuquerque

No. of Days At or Below 10 CFS

400

350

300

250

200

150

100 2001 1997 1999 1993 1995 1989 1991 1985 1987 50 1981 1983 1977 1979 1973 1975 1969 1971 1965 1967 0 1961 1963 1957 1959 1953 1955 1949 1951 1945 1947 1941 1943 Note: Period of Record is from 1941 - Year Present. USGS Gage No. 08330000 Rio Grande at Albuquerque, NM RIO GRANDE PROJECT STORAGE

Maximum Available Storage Capacity

2,500,000

2,000,000

1,500,000 ACRE-FEET

1,000,000

500,000

0 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Note: Storage values as of Jan 1 each year. Elephant Butte and Caballo Reservoirs included in analysis. Value for Jan 1, 2005 is estimated Some NMISC Rio Grande Basin Bureau Work

• Efforts to Balance/Increase Supply – River Maintenance with Reclamation – Elephant Butte Pilot Channel – Daily River Management – Compact Oversight – Hydrologic Investigations and Research • Addressing Federal Natural Resource Issues –NEPA – ESA Collaborative Program – Litigation • Addressing the Texas Litigation Threat