New Legislation Concerning Colorado River
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JFRCalifornia
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Haven't gone through this in detail yet (it's 64 pages), but the overall thrust of the plan is to make sure Lake Powell stays at or above 3525 in the event of sustained drought (minimum power pool is 3490). Both the Upper and Lower Basins put together drought contingency plans, with the Lower Basin's being more extensive...and which ties into the lake level of Mead too... But doesn't appear to be a ton of actual meat on the bones in terms of laying out actual actions to deal with drought, sort of a lot of hand-waving to do very little (e.g., Lower Basin commitment is to reduce collective water use by 100,000 AF... a drop in the bucket)
So short story is that the seven states are signing on a feel-good concept that doesn't seem to do that much to move the ball, but I've got to read it in more depth before I can draw that conclusion for sure...
By the way, 3525 means the lake would hold 6.1 MAF, or about 2/3 of what it's holding today, and roughly 25% full...
So short story is that the seven states are signing on a feel-good concept that doesn't seem to do that much to move the ball, but I've got to read it in more depth before I can draw that conclusion for sure...
By the way, 3525 means the lake would hold 6.1 MAF, or about 2/3 of what it's holding today, and roughly 25% full...
With all of the snow received by states below the dam why is the water level still not raising, this in my opinion a show of power by the lower states! How much water is being wasted and dumped to the ocean? I was at the lake last week and it is easy to see more going out than in. The Annimas and san juan rivers are running hard and very soon the remainder will also. They could keep the water upstream for use downstream. Blue Mesa and Dillon are still very low. With water content currently around 150% of normal it will get very interesting how high river levels will get and the mud line at LP. We will be back on the lake around the 15th on Tropical heat.
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Rivergoer
Escalante-Class Member
Looking at current ramp access (or lack thereof) 3525 sounds dismal. Below 3548 there’s not a single ramp on the lake that would be accessible.
Today, at 3569, there are only two ramps in the ‘green’ and one (Bullfrog) showing “iffy”.
Hopefully the Contingency Plan includes funding for ramp extensions.
Today, at 3569, there are only two ramps in the ‘green’ and one (Bullfrog) showing “iffy”.
Hopefully the Contingency Plan includes funding for ramp extensions.
sphoppie
Active Member
I know Arizona is cutting 700,000 acer feet a year by 2026 without the drought contingency plan I do not remember the exact number they will cut if Mead drops below 1075. The biggest allocations go to farmers.If eel the crops they plant should be regulated wants it drops below 1075. It is ridicoulds they plant these water guzzling crops and are still flood iragating everything.
Gem Morris
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
During rainstorms in the first part of February in California they let 18 TRILLION gallons run into the sea.
GRRRRR!!!
GRRRRR!!!
Littlesaltwash
Well-Known Member
Thanks, JFRC... for keeping us informed of water issues in laymen’s terms. I wonder what the health of the fish pop would be at a 25% res?
JFRCalifornia
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
It's good the states are making contingency plans, but worth noting a few facts right now about current Colorado River water use, inflow and outflow. According to the BOR 2017 Water Use Accounting Report (May 2018), the lower basin states total water use in 2017 was (compared to what's allocated):
AZ - 2.50 MAF (allocated 2.8)
CA - 4.03 MAF (allocated 4.4)
NV - 0.24 MAF (allocated 0.3)
All three are doing a variety of things to conserve water, and in the case of CA, that state has some of the toughest municipal water conservation policies in the country. And drip irrigation is becoming more heavily used on the ag side of the equation too.
It's natural to want to point the finger at CA, but the fact is that it's got 40 million people and a $50 billion ag industry, the largest in the country, producing a huge array of crops that are exported (and happily consumed) across the country and around the world. It's a big place. Yet here's a few things to know about that state's water management: with the exception of the Smith River in the far NW corner of the state, every major river (and many of the smaller streams) in the state has at least one dam. There are roughly 1,400 reservoirs in the state. Groundwater is pumped like crazy. Recycled water is already used everywhere, and new plants will be coming online to allow indirect (and soon even direct!) potable reuse--meaning drinking recycled wastewater--"toilet to tap". It's got active (or planned desalination plants), local policies that incentivize drought tolerant landscaping, etc... So it's working hard on both the supply and demand side of the equation...
And yet, it is also incentivized to use Colorado River water because its right is senior to the other states in the lower basin, and the upper basin is always nervous it won't get its share in the game of musical chairs. That makes it the bogeyman, and that has always meant a fight. Hence lots of historic lawsuits but now fortunately recent management efforts by all the basin states to figure this out to balance their needs against the need of other non-consumptive activities that depend on the river--such as power generation, recreation, environmental protection, etc...
Difficult problem to say the least.
As for the perception that too much water is being allowed to flow out of Lake Powell right now, here's what's been happening recently. The typical recent (last few weeks) outflows have been in the ballpark of 12,600 cfs, which is slightly higher than typical early April outflows, but not hugely out of line or this time of year historically speaking (12,000 cfs). (By the way, to deliver 8.23 MAF requires an average daily outflow of 11,300 cfs, while 9 MAF would require 12,400 cfs). But inflows aren't really there yet--average of the last couple of weeks has been about 9,000 cfs. As soon as the weather warms and the snowmelt really begins, this will kick into high gear.
That said, for us to see a 50-foot rise this year (up to 3620) will be very tough, but I like the overall optimism this group. That would require a net volume increase of 4.4 MAF (47% increase by volume!). Put that in practical terms, that means a net inflow of 37,000 cfs every day for two months.... in other words, if outflow continues at 12,000 cfs, inflow would need to be nearly 50,000 cfs every day from say May 1 to July 1... (!!) Not impossible I know, but a really tough task for sure...
To achieve a more modest 30-foot rise to 3600 would still require a good jump (net 2.4 MAF increase), but only a two-month sustained net inflow of 20,000 cfs... more achievable, but no guarantee of course...
Let's hope for the best!
AZ - 2.50 MAF (allocated 2.8)
CA - 4.03 MAF (allocated 4.4)
NV - 0.24 MAF (allocated 0.3)
All three are doing a variety of things to conserve water, and in the case of CA, that state has some of the toughest municipal water conservation policies in the country. And drip irrigation is becoming more heavily used on the ag side of the equation too.
It's natural to want to point the finger at CA, but the fact is that it's got 40 million people and a $50 billion ag industry, the largest in the country, producing a huge array of crops that are exported (and happily consumed) across the country and around the world. It's a big place. Yet here's a few things to know about that state's water management: with the exception of the Smith River in the far NW corner of the state, every major river (and many of the smaller streams) in the state has at least one dam. There are roughly 1,400 reservoirs in the state. Groundwater is pumped like crazy. Recycled water is already used everywhere, and new plants will be coming online to allow indirect (and soon even direct!) potable reuse--meaning drinking recycled wastewater--"toilet to tap". It's got active (or planned desalination plants), local policies that incentivize drought tolerant landscaping, etc... So it's working hard on both the supply and demand side of the equation...
And yet, it is also incentivized to use Colorado River water because its right is senior to the other states in the lower basin, and the upper basin is always nervous it won't get its share in the game of musical chairs. That makes it the bogeyman, and that has always meant a fight. Hence lots of historic lawsuits but now fortunately recent management efforts by all the basin states to figure this out to balance their needs against the need of other non-consumptive activities that depend on the river--such as power generation, recreation, environmental protection, etc...
Difficult problem to say the least.
As for the perception that too much water is being allowed to flow out of Lake Powell right now, here's what's been happening recently. The typical recent (last few weeks) outflows have been in the ballpark of 12,600 cfs, which is slightly higher than typical early April outflows, but not hugely out of line or this time of year historically speaking (12,000 cfs). (By the way, to deliver 8.23 MAF requires an average daily outflow of 11,300 cfs, while 9 MAF would require 12,400 cfs). But inflows aren't really there yet--average of the last couple of weeks has been about 9,000 cfs. As soon as the weather warms and the snowmelt really begins, this will kick into high gear.
That said, for us to see a 50-foot rise this year (up to 3620) will be very tough, but I like the overall optimism this group. That would require a net volume increase of 4.4 MAF (47% increase by volume!). Put that in practical terms, that means a net inflow of 37,000 cfs every day for two months.... in other words, if outflow continues at 12,000 cfs, inflow would need to be nearly 50,000 cfs every day from say May 1 to July 1... (!!) Not impossible I know, but a really tough task for sure...
To achieve a more modest 30-foot rise to 3600 would still require a good jump (net 2.4 MAF increase), but only a two-month sustained net inflow of 20,000 cfs... more achievable, but no guarantee of course...
Let's hope for the best!
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