Rule-Making Associated with
Regulating the Use of Lower Colorado River Water Without an Entitlement
To enable the Bureau of Reclamation to properly account for the use of lower Colorado River water, and to ensure existing and future use of the water is consistent with Federal law, Reclamation is developing a rule that establishes procedures for making determinations of unlawful use of lower Colorado River water. The proposed rule will:
Background The Secretary, through the Bureau of Reclamation, is required by the Consolidated Decree of the U.S. Supreme Court in Arizona v California to account for all diversions, returns, and consumptive uses of water from the lower Colorado River mainstem, including water withdrawn by underground pumping. Reclamation annually delivers 9 million acre-feet of water to Lower Basin states and Mexico. Current data indicates that 9,000 to 15,000 acre-feet per year of lower Colorado River water is being used without an entitlement. The majority of this water is diverted for domestic and agricultural use from wells located in the floodplain. Reclamation has an on-going program to identify the location of these wells and the type of use for the water being pumped. Rule-Making Process and Comment Period The draft rule was published in the Federal Register on July 16, 2008, and interested parties are invited to submit comments until September 15, 2008 on the document via: the Regulations.gov website or by mail to: For more information on this activity, navigate through the menu options above or contact Margot Selig at mselig@lc.usbr.gov or 702-293-8192. |
Webmaster: Colleen Dwyer, cdwyer@lc.usbr.gov
Updated: September 2008