California's Colorado River Annual Operating Plan

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Colorado River Basin Forum CSG-WEST Annual
Meeting August 10, 2006 Seven States Shortage
Plan and Conjunctive Reservoir ManagementWilliam
J. Hasencamp Executive Program Manager The
Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California
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Metropolitan Water Districtof Southern California

• Regional water wholesaler to 6 counties -
  5,200 square miles
• 26 member agencies
• 37 member board
• 18 million people
• Projected growth 220,000 people/year
• Regional economy 600 billion
• Water supplies meets about half of retail
  demands

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MWD Member Agencies
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Southern CaliforniasWater Supply (2000)
LAKE SHASTA
LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCTS 0.2 MAF
LAKE OROVILLE
Bay-Delta
COLORADO RIVER AQUEDUCT 1.2 MAF
STATE WATER PROJECT1.4 MAF
LOCAL 1.7 MAF
METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT SERVICE AREA
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Colorado River Entitlements Deliveries(Million
acre-feet)
Mexico
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Californias 7-Party AgreementFor Colorado River
Water
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Californias Colorado RiverWater Use Plan

• Reduces Californias Colorado River Use
• Interim Surplus Guidelines soft landing
• Provides CA more liberal access to surplus water
• Amount of surplus depends on Lake Mead level
• Agricultural to urban transfers
• Water Conservation Programs
• Canal Lining
• Efficiency Improvement
• Land Fallowing Programs

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Key Transfers in California Plan

• Water Conservation Transfers
• MWD/IID Transfer 100,000 af/yr
• Canal Lining (to SDCWA) 100,000 af/yr
• Land Fallowing Transfers
• PVID/MWD Program 100,000 af/yr
• SDCWA/IID Transfer 200,000 af/yr
• Fallowing initially, then conservation

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Even the Best Plans Can Run Into Trouble
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Need for New Operating and Accounting Agreements
for the Colorado River

• In 1990s, Basin States focused on California
• CA using 5.2 maf of water annually 800 taf
  more than its 4.4 basic apportionment
• CA responded with Colorado River Water Use Plan
• Now, in 2000s, other issues need to be addressed
• No shortage criteria in place
• NV needs supplies beyond basic apportionment
• Reservoir operations need improvement

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7-State Conceptual Agreement(Submitted to
Secretary Norton on February 3)

• Improved reservoir release schedule to minimize
  shortages
• Stepped shortage schedule tied to Lake Mead
  elevations
• Lake Mead storage opportunities
• Mechanism to allow entities to invest in and
  benefit from system improvement projects
• Extension of Interim Surplus Guidelines
• Study long-term system augmentation opportunities

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Proposal Elements of Particular Importance to CA

• Protection of Californias senior water right
  position
• Stepped shortages to be applied to AZ, NV, and
  Mexico
• California in shortage in only extreme events
  (lt1)
• Storage in Lake Mead providing dry year
  reliability
• CA can store up to 1.5 maf total
• CA can recover up to 400 taf in dry years (full
  CRA)
• Pilot program in 2006-07 full implementation in
  2008
• Interim Surplus Guidelines extended through 2026
• CA gives up Partial Domestic Surplus water
• Gains up to 250,000 AF/year through 2026 in years
  when Lake Mead more than 62 full

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Next Steps -- Schedule

• Draft EIS to be released in late 2006
• Record of Decision by end of 2007
• Implementation of Interiors selected alternative
  in 2008

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Thank You
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