1935. Lake Mead and Lake Powell are the largest and second largest reservoirs in the United States, respectively. “Te municipal agencies and the


federal government agree that collab- orative action is needed now, to reduce the risk to water supplies, hydropower production, water quality, agricultural output, and recreation and environmen- tal resources across the entire Colorado River basin,” according to an October statement from Reclamation’s Lower Colorado regional office. “With shortage looming on the Colorado River, CAP, with its partners, is taking immediate steps to protect Ari- zona’s Colorado River supply. Te goal of this unique program is to develop new conservation programs from mu- nicipal, industrial, and agricultural water users from across the seven states which share the river,” said Pam Pickard, Board President, Central Arizona Project. “Te program saves water in Lake Mead and Lake Powell for the benefit of all Colo- rado River water users and promotes a healthy river system.”


Tere is concern that continued dry conditions will push Lake Powell even lower, particularly if 2014-2020 period mirrors the dryness of 2001-2007. Te 51-year-old lake “serves an important function as the bank account,” for the river as well as producing electricity for many uses, including agricultural pro- ducers, Lochhead said.


“Te idea behind the pilot from an


Upper Basin perspective is to create a temporary, voluntary and compensated means to work with water users to reduce their demands when needed,” Lochhead said. SNWA, Denver Water, MWD, and CAP are each providing $2 million to fund projects, with Reclama- tion contributing $3 million. “Of that amount we anticipate $2.75 million will be spent in the Upper Basin and the balance in the Lower Basin,” Lochhead said, adding that Reclamation is helping to implement the program in the Lower Basin under its role as water master of the Colorado River. (Te Lower Basin states are Arizona, California and Nevada.)


Water meters are being used in the Imperial Irrigation District to assist with on-farm conservation.


Denver Water in August announced that it was partnering with the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado River District, South- western Water Conservation District, Te Nature Conservancy and Trout Unlimited to “leverage” the $11 million into an even greater figure. In a statement released by Denver


Water, several participants voiced the need to take action now to stave off bigger problems later. “Without collaborative action, water supplies, hydropower production, water quality, agricultural output, recreation and environmental resources are all at risk in the next several years in the upper basin, if Lake Powell reaches critically low levels,” said Doug Robotham, Colorado water project director of Te Nature Conservancy in Colorado. Don Shawcroft with the Colorado


Farm Bureau said “our interest is to protect water users in Colorado and the Upper Basin. We know that if there is a compact call, agriculture is the first area that will be looked at for the solution. A crisis is bad for everyone – especially agriculture. It is vital that we have a voice at the table.” A “compact call” is a shorthand way


to refer to the compact administration between the Upper Basin states and the Lower Basin states that could take place if the Upper Basin States fail to meet their obligations under the Colorado River Compact. Public awareness of the System


Conservation Program is “critical,” said Bruce Whitehead, executive director of the Southwestern Conservation District in Durango, Colo. “Education and awareness of the pilot


projects may be equally as beneficial as the projects themselves,” he said. ”We have to be sure people have the real facts of what we are trying to do, buy in to the process and then document the benefits.” According to Denver Water, the


Upper Basin pilot projects will be used to demonstrate ways to put water


4 • Colorado River Project • River Report • Winter 2014-2015


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