SEVENTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER COMMISSION SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 2 UPPER COLORADO RIVER COMMISSION 355 South 400 East • Salt Lake City, UT 84111 • 801-531-1150 • www.ucrcommission.com June 1, 2021 President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. The White House Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear President Biden: The Seventy-Second Annual Report of the Upper Colorado River Commission, as required by Article VIII(d)(13) of the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact of 1948 (“Compact”), is enclosed. The report also has been transmitted to the Governors of each state signatory to the Compact, which include Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and Arizona. The budget of the Commission for Fiscal Year 2021 (July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021) is included in this report as Appendix B. Respectfully yours, Amy I. Haas Executive Director and Secretary Enclosure 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE .................................................................................................. 8 COMMISSIONERS .................................................................................... 9 ALTERNATE COMMISSIONERS ........................................................... 10 OFFICERS OF THE COMMISSION ....................................................... 10 COMMISSION STAFF ............................................................................. 10 COMMITTEES ......................................................................................... 11 LEGAL COMMITTEE ................................................................................. 11 ENGINEERING COMMITTEE .................................................................... 11 BUDGET COMMITTEE .............................................................................. 11 GENERAL ADVISERS TO COMMISSIONERS ......................................... 11 MEETINGS OF THE COMMISSION ....................................................... 12 ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMISSION ...................................................... 12 GENERAL ACTIVITIES .................................................................................. 12 SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES ................................................................................... 12 Oversight and Administration of the 2007 Interim Guidelines Coordinated Operations .................................................................................................. 13 7.D Review ................................................................................................. 15 Upper Division States’ Drought Contingency Planning ............................... 16 Negotiations with Mexico Regarding Low Elevation Reservoir Conditions and Augmentation of Supply ...................................................................... 18 Implementation of the Colorado River Basin Fund MOA ............................ 19 Lees Ferry Streamgage and Releases from Glen Canyon Dam ................ 20 Upper Colorado River Basin Consumptive Use Study ............................... 20 System Conservation Pilot Program ........................................................... 21 Commission Staffing and Related Issues ................................................... 23 ENGINEERING-HYDROLOGY....................................................................... 25 Streamflow and Hydrology Summary ......................................................... 26 Summary of Reservoir Elevations and Storage .......................................... 26 Flows of the Colorado River ....................................................................... 39 LEGAL MATTERS .......................................................................................... 49 Litigation Summary ..................................................................................... 49 COLORADO RIVER SALINITY PROGRAM ................................................... 50 COLORADO RIVER STORAGE PROJECT (CRSP) AND PARTICIPATING PROJECTS ................................................................. 51 AUTHORIZED STORAGE UNITS .................................................................. 51 Glen Canyon Unit ....................................................................................... 52 Adaptive Management ........................................................................................ 54 Record of Decision for the Colorado River Interim Guidelines for Lower Basin Shortages and the Coordinated Operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead ...... 55 Record of Decision for the Glen Canyon Dam Long-Term Experimental and Management Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement .................................. 56 Drought Contingency Planning ........................................................................... 57 Lake Powell Pipeline ........................................................................................... 57 Recreational Use ................................................................................................ 58 Invasive Mussel Control ...................................................................................... 58 Flaming Gorge Unit .................................................................................... 59 Community of Dutch John ................................................................................... 60 Flow and Temperature Recommendations and Larval Trigger Study Plan .......... 60 Recreational Use ................................................................................................ 61 Invasive Mussel Control ...................................................................................... 61 Navajo Unit ................................................................................................. 61 Recreational Use ................................................................................................ 62 Invasive Mussel Control ...................................................................................... 63 Wayne N. Aspinall Unit ............................................................................... 63 4 Recreational Use ................................................................................................ 65 Invasive Mussel Control ...................................................................................... 65 INVASIVE MUSSEL CONTROL ..................................................................... 65 STORAGE UNITS’ FISHERY INFORMATION ............................................... 68 CRSP POWER GENERATION....................................................................... 69 CRSP Facility Upgrades ............................................................................. 70 Glen Canyon Powerplant .................................................................................... 70 Blue Mesa Powerplant ........................................................................................ 71 Flaming Gorge Powerplant ................................................................................. 71 AUTHORIZED PARTICIPATING PROJECTS ................................................ 71 Colorado ..................................................................................................... 74 Bostwick Park Project ......................................................................................... 74 Dallas Creek Project ........................................................................................... 74 Dolores Project ................................................................................................... 75 Florida Project .................................................................................................... 76 Fruitland Mesa Project ........................................................................................ 77 Paonia Project .................................................................................................... 77 San Miguel Project .............................................................................................. 78 Silt Project .......................................................................................................... 78 Smith Fork Project .............................................................................................. 78 West Divide Project ............................................................................................ 79 New Mexico ................................................................................................ 79 Hammond Project ............................................................................................... 79 Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project ................................................................... 79 Navajo Indian Irrigation Project ........................................................................... 81 Utah ............................................................................................................ 81 Central Utah Project ........................................................................................... 81 Ute Indian Unit .................................................................................................... 85 Vernal Unit .......................................................................................................... 85 Emery County Project ......................................................................................... 85 Wyoming .................................................................................................... 86 Eden Project ......................................................................................................