Bureau of Reclamations Role in Interstate Water Banking

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Bureau of Reclamations Role in Interstate
Water Banking
Interstate Water BankingWorkshop
Bob Johnson, Regional Director
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Bureau of Reclamations Role in Interstate Water
Banking

• The Secretary of the Department of the Interior,
  through Reclamations Lower Colorado Regional
  Director, will release intentionally created
  unused apportionment for use in Nevada when all
  necessary actions have been taken.
• The Regional Directors actions will be guided by
  the Law of the River, in particular the Boulder
  Canyon Project Act and the Decree in Arizona v.
  California.

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Water Reporting Accounting

• All Colorado River water use must be reported to
  Reclamation.
• Under Article V of the Decree in Arizona v.
  California, Reclamation prepares and maintains
  records of
• Diversions
• Consumptive Use
• Return Flow
• ICUA created by Arizona and used in Nevada will
  be tabulated in this report.

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Accounting for Stored Water

• Water diverted by CAWCD and stored by AWBA will
  be accounted for as consumptive use in the State
  of Arizona for the year water is diverted and
  stored.
• Water diverted by Nevada as ICUA will be
  accounted for as consumptive use in the State of
  Nevada for the year water is diverted and used.
• The balance of water stored and available for use
  in Nevada will be shown in a supplement to the
  Article V Decree accounting report.

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Release of Intentionally Created Unused
Apportionment (ICUA)

• Release of ICUA by the Secretary in any year is
  limited to the amount of ICUA that has been or
  will be developed by AWBA during that year.
• Once ICUA developed by AWBA during any year has
  been diverted by Nevada, Nevada will have no
  right to divert additional ICUA during that year.
• Nevadas total diversion rights in any year will
  be its rights under that years annual operating
  plan, including any rights to diversion of ICUA.

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Nevadas Diversion Rights After ICUA has been
Diverted and Utilized

• Once Nevada has fully utilized its entitlement
  to ICUA, Nevadas diversion and use of Colorado
  River water will be limited to its entitlements
  under the Decree.

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Environmental Compliance

• Reclamation completed the Final Environmental
  Assessment for the Storage and Interstate Release
  Agreement in June 2002.
• A Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was
  signed on June 19, 2002, to document compliance
  with the National Environmental Policy Act.