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54 Infrastructure 1 (2014-2015)

handle is hein.journals/infrastr54 and id is 1 raw text is: Vol, 54, No, 1, FaH 2014
Brought 'he Lower Coorado-
InrsrcueNeeds
By Rodney T. Siih

rought in the western Inited States has made
national  neadlines. Farms idled due o nad
equate Nater spplies. Cities restrict water use
byres:dents under the threat ,: :4 fines. Governors c-.1 for
reductions in water use.
Despite the drought, cuirrently there are no declared
wvater shortages on the Colorado River. But changing
hydroi::,gic conditions have resulted in lower natural
flows of witer on the Colorado River, a nd that means
the era of water shortages is around the cJ:rne', perhaps
as carly as 2017. With predicted declines of water inflox
in Lake Mlead and an*iipamed gr, ,wih in demand for
Colorado River water, Infrastructure investments have a
critical role to play in ineeting future \ater delnflids
The Severity and Location of Drought
The I .S. Drought Monitor, a map produced b the
Nati: :,nal Oceanic anid Atmospheric Association, the US
Department of Agriculture, and the National Drought
Mifigati,,n (enter, provides a weekly assess-ment of
drought condirions. As of August 26, 20 14, exceptional
drought conditions \ere concenirated in CalFornia
(both north and south) and extended
ino nortthern Nevada (hich is not
part of the Colorado River Basin).
Extrelfe drought conditions ex'is 14
in the balance of California (other
than the southeast portion), the \%es
ern half of Nevada, southeast Oregoon
and scattered localized  areas in An i-
zona, Colorado, Idaho and New.-
Mexico.                              ,
The Lower Colorado River Basin    Rodney T. Smith
Rodney 7. Smith, Ph.)., is p usiden of 5tratecon Inc.! a
COndtliti1? ,SflCjtiV:rng in the econorcsh .a   YAWg
~/and poiltics o;f uate, resoidces.

HPistotih:a3 Lsl Mead Elevation
ji3Ilaary

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At

Figure 1
(Arizona, (a ifornia, Nevada) is at ground zero of ie
drought. The Ipper Basin (Colorado, New Mexico,
Uta , 'yomi3g) fice less str;mngent challenges Whaut
is the status of w ater suppies to meet drought w ater
dernands' This question brings us to the status o water
storage and natural flow on the Colorado River.
Condition of the Lower Colorado River Basin
like \Jei( is The mother xlde resevitr in the  L, wer
Basin. Releases from Lake Powell 1n the U pper Basin flow
into Lake Mead. The Southern Nevada  Water Authority
(Las VOegas') diverts water directly from Lake Mead. The
Burea , :4 Rec.tirnati n releases water in-o the Colorado
River below Lake Mead to meet water demands of down-
slream, users in Arizona and California as well as to satisFY
treaty obligations To the Republic of Mexico.
The elevation it lake Mead peaked in Jaruary 2000
at 1,214.26 feet and has steadily piumnented since then
(5ee fig I).2 By January 2014, Lake Mead's elevali,,n
continued on poge 8

Published in Infrastructure, Volume 54, Number 1, Fall 2014 © 2014 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof
may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.

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