David J. Hayes
} Klamath River Basin – California/Oregon } Colorado River Basin – California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah } Sacramento/San Joaquin Bay Delta -- California
} Reclamation Project – Upper Klamath (1905) } Hydroelectric Dams Constructed on Lower Klamath (1905- 1962) ◦ Current owner: PacifiCorp/Mid-American } 1956 Interstate Compact ◦ Reaction to 1955 Trinity River diversion ◦ Protects Upper Klamath Basin water from predatory Californians
} Endangered species ◦ Coho salmon (1997); Shortnose sucker; Lost River sucker (1988) } 2001 Biological Opinions ◦ Minimum flows; minimum lake levels; cut-off of water to irrigators; Nat’l Academy of Sciences review } 2002 Fish kill in Lower Klamath } FERC Relicensing Process (2000+) } Upstream Tribal priority water rights call (2013)
} Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (signed in 2010) ◦ Balances water among BOR project users (farmers), fishermen and tribes ◦ Funds ecosystem restoration projects ◦ Resolves BOR/Klamath Tribe water disputes } Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (signed in 2010) ◦ Study/potential removal of 4 hydroelectric dams; EIS completed; would open up 420 miles of salmon habitat ◦ Congressional authorization required before removal ◦ Cost share – State of California; PacifiCorp
} Upper Klamath Basin Comprehensive Settlement Agreement ◦ Signing ceremony tomorrow; Response to Congressional gridlock (upper basin objections); 2013 tribal water call Water use program to increase flows into Upper Klamath Lake, stabilize ag in Upper Basin Riparian Program Economic Development Program for Klamath Tribes } 3 Agreements = Comprehensive Solution ◦ $495M/10 years ◦ Can Congress do it?
“Law of the River” } Colorado River Compact – 1922 7.5 MAF to Upper Basin; 7.5 MAF to Lower Basin California agreement – 3.85 MAF to ag districts All-American Canal (1938) Colorado River Aqueduct (1941) } U.S./Mexico Treaty – 1944 } Arizona v. United States – 1973
} Water Master; Reclamation Project Storage issues (interstate); Reservoir operations (Glen Canyon dam pulse flows) } ESA; Tribal water rights Multi-species conservation plan for the Lower Colorado (e.g., willow flycatcher); Upper Colorado conservation plan Arizona Water Settlement Act
} Minute 319 with Mexico } Addresses Mexico’s 1.5 MAF allocation during drought/surplus } 5 year agreement } Allows for Mexico to store water in Lake Mead (mutual benefits to feds/states/Mexico) } Provides base flows and periodic pulse flows } Builds on infrastructure improvement investments following earthquake in Mexico
} Federal involvement in administering state water rights on the Colorado ◦ California 4.4 Plan ◦ QSA – Quantification Settlement Agreement Save 800,000 AF/year via conservation and ag-to- urban water transfer; $2B; 75 year contract with SDCWA } Result: Increased Reliance on Water Exports through the Bay Delta
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