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Congressional Staff Briefing ARIZONA AND GILA WATERSHED AREA OF NEW MEXICO

U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Phoenix Area Office, Yuma Area Office, Boulder Canyon Operations Office Lower Colorado Region March 2014

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Table of Contents The Bureau of Reclamation ............................................................................................. 5

Bureau of Reclamation’s Mission Statement ............................................................................................ 5

A Century of Cooperation – Arizona and Reclamation ............................................................................. 6

Lower Colorado Region ................................................................................................... 7 Providing Water to the Southwest ........................................................................................................... 7

Water Contract Administration and Accountability ................................................................................. 8

Hydropower Generation ........................................................................................................................... 8

Navajo Generating Station ........................................................................................................................ 8

WaterSMART ............................................................................................................................................. 9

Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program .................................................................. 10

Native American Affairs .......................................................................................................................... 11

U.S. – Mexico Relations ........................................................................................................................... 11

Natural and Cultural Resources Management........................................................................................ 12

Engineering Services ............................................................................................................................... 12

Dam Safety .............................................................................................................................................. 13

Facility Security ....................................................................................................................................... 13

Doing Business in the Region .................................................................................................................. 13

Lower Colorado Regional Highlights ............................................................................. 15 Sustainability Programs .......................................................................................................................... 15

Youth Programs ...................................................................................................................................... 15

America’s Great Outdoors ...................................................................................................................... 15

C.A.S.T. Events ......................................................................................................................................... 15

Organization Chart - Lower Colorado Regional Office ............................................................................ 16

Yuma Area Office .......................................................................................................... 17 General Overview ................................................................................................................................... 17

Colorado River Water Delivery. .............................................................................................................. 17

Groundwater & Salinity Management .................................................................................................... 17

Resource Management. .......................................................................................................................... 18

Maintenance Services ............................................................................................................................. 18

Desalting Services. .................................................................................................................................. 18

YAO 5 Lines of Business .......................................................................................................................... 19

YAO’s Aging Infrastructure ...................................................................................................................... 19

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Phoenix Area Office ...................................................................................................... 21 Brief History ............................................................................................................................................ 21

Focus Areas ............................................................................................................................................. 21

Phoenix Area Office Today ...................................................................................................................... 21

PHOENIX AREA OFFICE PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES ................................................................................ 22

SALT RIVER PROJECT ............................................................................................................................... 22

CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT ................................................................................................................... 23

FISH BARRIERS. ........................................................................................................................................ 24

NAVAJO GENERATION STATION—KAYENTA MINE COMPLEX.................................................................25

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.....................................................................................................................25

PXAO NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS OFFICE ............................................................................................. 26

ARIZONA WATER SETTLEMENTS ACT IMPLEMENTATION ...................................................................... 27

WHITE MOUNTAIN APACHE TRIBE SETTLEMENT IMPLEMENTATION .................................................... 27

STATE INITIATIVES ................................................................................................................................... 28

MAP OF ARIZONA INDIAN RESERVATIONS...............................................................................30

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Department of the Interior Mission Statement

The U.S. Department of the Interior protects America’s natural resources and heritage, honors our cultures and tribal communities, and supplies the energy to power our future.

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The Bureau of Reclamation Bureau of Reclamation’s Mission Statement The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. Established in 1902, the Bureau of Reclamation is best known for the dams, powerplants, and canals it constructed in the 17 western states. These water projects led to homesteading and promoted the economic development of the West. Reclamation has constructed more than 600 dams and reservoirs including Hoover Dam on the Colorado River and Grand Coulee on the Columbia River.

Today, we are the largest wholesaler of water in the country. We bring water to more than 31 million people, and provide one out of five Western farmers (140,000) with irrigation water for 10 million acres of farmland that produce 60% of the nation's vegetables and 25% of its fruits and nuts.

Reclamation is also the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the western United States. Our 58 powerplants annually provide more than 40 billion kilowatt hours generating nearly a billion dollars in power revenues and produce enough electricity to serve 3.5 million homes.

Since its inception, Reclamation has transitioned from a construction agency to a contemporary water management agency with a Strategic Plan outlining numerous programs, initiatives and activities that will help the Western States, Native American Tribes and others meet new water needs and balance the multitude of competing uses of water in the West. Our objective is to assist in meeting the increasing water demands of the West while protecting the environment and the public's investment in these structures. We place great emphasis on fulfilling our water delivery obligations, water conservation, water recycling and reuse, and developing partnerships with our customers, states, and Native American Tribes, and in finding ways to bring together the variety of interests to address the competing needs for our limited water resources.

The Acting Commissioner of Reclamation is Lowell Pimley. He reports to the Assistant Secretary of Water & Science, Anne Castle.

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A Century of Cooperation – Arizona and Reclamation

There are many federal laws that impact water in Arizona today

1902 - The Reclamation Act of 1902 created the Reclamation Service for the purpose of developing water supplies. Our initial focus was on water storage facilities and large irrigation delivery systems, like the SRP.

1922 - The Colorado River Compact divided the Colorado River’s water between the seven basin states; the upper basin consists of Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and most of New Mexico. The lower basin includes California, Nevada, Arizona, and the upper reaches of the Gila River watershed which is in western New Mexico. Reclamation areas of responsibility (regional and area offices) are divided along watershed boundaries and do not adhere to geographical or political borders between states.

1928 - The Boulder Canyon Act further allocated amounts among the lower basin states. The 1928 act also appointed the Secretary of the Interior as “watermaster” of the Lower Colorado River. This is very unusual and the only place in the west where this occurs,

1968 - The Colorado River Basin Project Act authorized the construction of the Central Arizona Project

1974 - The Colorado River Salinity Control Act authorized, among other things, the Yuma Desalting Plant.

2003 - The Quantitative Settlement Act, among other things, helped to reduce California’s reliance on the Colorado River, thereby making Arizona’s Colorado River supply more reliable.

2004 - The Arizona Water Settlements Act.

All of these laws, and others such as the Endangered Species Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the Environmental Protection Act, determine what Reclamation does in Arizona.

A “front page” from one section of Reclamation's official Arizona Centennial Legacy Project, chronicling "A Century of Cooperation." The project, which breaks down 100 years of history by decade with articles on projects, water uses, legislation, the environment, and people can be viewed at: http://www.usbr.gov/lc/phoenix/

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Lower Colorado Region The Lower Colorado (LC) Region is one of five Regions that administer Bureau of Reclamation programs in the 17 western states. The LC Region encompasses southern Nevada, southern California, most of Arizona, a small corner of southwest Utah and a small section of west-central New Mexico. Reclamation has been involved in water management programs in these states since the early 1900s. The Region’s headquarters is located in Boulder City, Nevada, with Area Offices in Phoenix and Yuma, Arizona; Temecula, California; and at Hoover Dam. There are about 850 full-time Federal employees working in more than 150 occupational specialties throughout the Region. The LC Region manages Reclamation’s programs and projects in an area covering over 202,000 square miles of the West. In a typical year, Reclamation facilities in the LC Region deliver 7.5 million acre-feet (maf) of water to the states of Arizona, California, and Nevada, and 1.5 maf to Mexico. (An acre-foot is approximately 326,000 gallons, or enough water to serve two average families for one year.) This water helps irrigate over 1 million acres of land and meet the domestic needs of more than 23 million people. Hydroelectric powerplants at Hoover, Davis and Parker Dams annually generate five to six billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean, hydroelectric power distributed to contractors in Arizona, Nevada and California. Providing Water to the Southwest The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, is the Watermaster for the Colorado River from Lee Ferry, Arizona, to the international border with Mexico. As Watermaster, the Secretary manages and operates the lower Colorado River under a collection of Federal and state statutes, compacts, court decisions and decrees, contracts with the United States, operating criteria, administrative decisions, and an international treaty collectively called the “Law of the River”. The Region’s Boulder Canyon Operations Office implements the Secretary’s Watermaster role as delegated to the LC Regional Director. In managing the water, the Region collaborates with the Lower Division States of Arizona, California, and Nevada; the Republic of Mexico through the International Boundary and Water Commission; water and power utilities; and numerous

Lake Mohave between Arizona and California

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stakeholders representing agricultural, economic, environmental, Native American, and other interests. Water Contract Administration and Accountability The Boulder Canyon Operations Office (BCOO) administers all contracts for lower Colorado River water delivery and accounts for the water use with a real-time monitoring system of stream gages and microwave telemetry transmitting data from the point of measurement in the Colorado River to Reclamation’s database in Boulder City. This information is posted on the web, allowing water users to track water use and more accurately project their end-of-year consumptive use of Colorado River water. BCOO’s Water Accounting and Verification Group annually publishes diversion, return flow, and consumptive use data in “Colorado River Accounting and Water Use Report Arizona, California, and Nevada” (www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/wtracct.html), ensuring transparency in water accounting. Hydropower Generation

The LC Region’s Power Office administers a variety of programs and operations related to the generation and management of Reclamation’s hydropower resources throughout the Southwest, including those at Hoover, Davis and Parker Dams on the lower Colorado River. Part of these responsibilities include ensuring agency hydroelectric powerplants comply with North American Electric Reliability Corporation/Western Electric Coordinating Council requirements, developing and tracking Facility Reliability Ratings, and participating in rate setting and power contracting activities. Annual audits of Reclamation facilities assess compliance with these standards and identify any needed corrective actions to bring them into compliance. Reclamation also manages public and private renewable energy initiatives including administering the Lease of Power Privilege program, evaluating the development of new

hydropower projects at federally-owned facilities, and upgrading or rehabilitating existing hydropower generation facilities. Navajo Generating Station Located in northeastern Arizona on the Navajo Indian Reservation, the Navajo Generating Station (NGS) has served electric customers in Arizona, Nevada and California since 1974. Participants in the coal-fired plant include Reclamation, Salt River Project (SRP), Los Angeles

Powerlines from Hoover Dam

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Department of Water and Power, Arizona Public Service Company, Nevada Energy, and Tucson Electric Power. Reclamation oversees the federal obligations of all plant project agreements including approval of all operation, maintenance and replacement (OM&R) activities by SRP, which operates the plant, and OM&R for 800 miles of transmission systems. The LC Region also participates in marketing decisions connected with sales of plant power that is surplus to the pumping needs of the CAP. Reclamation's 24.3 percent share operates the pumps that move water through the CAP, and provides revenue from surplus power sales to aid in keeping CAP water rates affordable. Reclamation’s share of the energy generated at NGS is approximately 4.18 billion kWh per year, enough energy to serve approximately 365,000 average households for one year. NGS, on average, generates 17.2 billion kWh per year. (For more information on current activities regarding the continuing operation of the Navajo Generating Station past current agreements that expire in 2019, see the Phoenix Area Office section.) WaterSMART Water supply, our most precious natural resource, is increasingly stressed by social and economic demands. Adequate water supplies are essential to human survival, ecosystem health, energy production, and economic sustainability. Significant climate change-related impacts on water supplies are well documented in scientific literature and scientists are forecasting changes in hydrologic cycles. Through the Department of the Interior’s WaterSMART program, the LC Region assists states, Tribes, local governments, and non-governmental organizations in pursuing sustainable water supplies by establishing a framework to provide federal leadership and assistance on the efficient use of water, integrating water and energy policies to support the sustainable use of all natural resources, and coordinating the water conservation activities of the various Interior offices.

The Navajo Generating Station in northeastern Arizona

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Today, the LC Region actively supports states, universities and water entities through grants and technical support to study climate change and to develop adaptive strategies to address future alterations in hydrology and water supply. The Region administers millions of dollars in grants for water reuse projects, feasibility studies, and conservation measures, and also participates in far-reaching initiatives including basin studies such as the Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study and the Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative. Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program The Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP) was created to balance the uses of the Colorado River water with the conservation of native species and their habitats. The program works toward the recovery of species currently listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). It also reduces the likelihood of additional species listings. Implemented over a 50-year period, the LCR MSCP accommodates current water diversions and power production, and optimizes opportunities for future water and power development by providing ESA compliance through the implementation of a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP).

The program area extends over 400 miles of the lower Colorado River from Lake Mead to the border with Mexico, and includes lakes Mead, Mohave, and Havasu, as well as the historic 100-year floodplain along the mainstem of the lower Colorado River. The HCP calls for the creation of over 8,100 acres of habitat for fish and wildlife species and the production of over 1.2 million native fish to augment existing populations. The plan will benefit at least 26 species, most of which are state or federally listed endangered, threatened, or sensitive species. While the Bureau of Reclamation

is the implementing agency for the LCR MSCP, the partnership in the LCR MSCP Steering Committee currently represents 57 entities, including state and federal agencies, water and power users, municipalities, Native American tribes, conservation organizations, and other interested parties. The Steering Committee provides input and oversight functions in support of LCR MSCP implementation with program costs evenly divided between the Federal government and non-federal partners.

Hart Mine Marsh, a MSCP conservation area developed in La Paz County on the Cibola Wildlife Refuge

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The LCR MSCP is a habitat-based conservation program where uncertainty is an unavoidable component of creating and managing species habitats. The Adaptive Management Program (AMP) addresses such uncertainties to ensure that HCP goals are achieved over the long-term. The AMP process gauges the effectiveness of existing conservation measures with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service science experts, proposes alternative or modified conservation measures as the need arises, and addresses changing and unforeseen circumstances. It also ensures conservation measures are implemented in a biologically effective and cost efficient manner. Native American Affairs The LC Region works with 66 Native American Tribes throughout the Southwest. The Region annually receives nearly $500,000 for Native American Affairs Technical Assistance for water-related activities on tribal lands. As part of these activities, Reclamation participates in water rights assessment, negotiation and implementation teams in Arizona and California with other federal agencies, Native American Tribes, water management entities, and community representatives to facilitate tribal water rights settlements. The agency also participates in and supports the Department of the Interior’s efforts to negotiate and implement water rights settlements, and uphold Indian Trust responsibilities in the Lower Colorado River Basin. The LC Region also administers several Public Law 93-638 (Indian Self Determination Act) contracts, grants and cooperative agreements. Numerous agreements assist Southwestern tribes in water resource management-related projects for the benefit of their communities. U.S. – Mexico Relations The LC Region is a member of the Binational Core Group formed by the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) to address joint cooperative actions for the use of Colorado River waters in both the United States and Mexico. The IBWC consists of a United States Section and a Mexican Section. Each Section is administered independently of the other, and is headed by an Engineer Commissioner appointed by each country’s respective President. The United States Section receives foreign policy guidance from the United States Department of State, while the Mexican Section is administratively linked to the Secretariat of Foreign Relations of Mexico. The Region participates in various United States work groups that evaluate programs or projects for water conservation, wastewater treatment, developing new water sources through advanced technologies, and system operations with the potential to be implemented for the benefit of both countries. Discussions are ongoing throughout the year to work both technically and

The AMP is based on the principles of adaptive management by allowing conservation measures to be adjusted over time based on the results of monitoring and research.

Under the terms of a 1944 Treaty, Mexico is guaranteed 1.5 maf of Colorado River annually.

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diplomatically to address conservation, water delivery and new technologies for water supply within the framework of the 1944 Mexican Water Treaty. The signing of Minute 319 in November of 2012 initiated a five-year interim operational agreement between the United States and Mexico, paving the way for future collaborative binational efforts to conserve water on the Colorado River. Provisions of the Minute extend through 2017 and include a five-year pilot program designed to demonstrate the two countries’ shared commitment to cooperation and partnership in the face of future water supply challenges. Natural and Cultural Resources Management Reclamation performs activities related to environmental compliance, land-use and outdoor recreation management, and long-term water and land resources planning throughout the Southwest. The Region also administers programs related to environmental and cultural resources, wildlife habitat, and hazardous material management programs and policies to ensure compliance with associated laws and regulations on Reclamation lands. These programs are managed through professional staff including biologists, environmental protection specialists, recreation planners, Geographic Information Systems specialists, lab technicians, and archaeologists. Resource specialists also administer wastewater reclamation and reuse studies, and water conservation, emergency drought, Native American, and rural community assistance programs collaboratively with other Regional offices and external partners. The Region provides a variety of outreach activities to enhance environmental awareness and education for regional communities and organizations. Reclamation also collaborates with regional and State Historic Preservation Offices in efforts to preserve the historical aspects of the Region’s facilities, and provides technical and regulatory expertise for air and water quality, emergency response, hazardous waste disposal, and occupational safety and health programs in consultation with other Federal regulatory agencies. Engineering Services The LC Region provides engineering design, construction, and other technical services to Reclamation, other Federal agencies, and public entities. These services include project management; field investigations, examinations and analysis; surveying, mapping and geomatics engineering; design data collection; appraisal, feasibility, and final designs; specification and drawings development; cost estimating; pre-award and post-award acquisition activities; contract administration; construction program development incorporating work planning and critical path

Endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher

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scheduling; construction management; field engineering; and construction quality assurance including site and source inspection and testing. In the LC Region, the engineering program also champions programs and initiatives in occupational health and safety by sponsoring and executing safety monitoring, training, and awareness activities. These activities foster a positive safety culture, and help mitigate and eliminate safety hazards and incidents in our workplaces, facilities, and construction sites. Dam Safety LC Regional engineers work with other Reclamation offices, stakeholders and customers on Safety of Dams programs for the 14 high and significant-hazard dams in the LC Region. The objective of the Reclamation Dam Safety Program is to ensure that the facilities do not present unreasonable risks to public safety, property, or the environment. The Region also administers an Examination of Existing Structures

program to review the operation and maintenance of facilities such as canals, pumping plants, tunnels/pipelines, bridges, river channelization features, and low hazard diversion dams. The program helps ensure the facilities, which are generally operated and maintained by project beneficiaries, continue to operate effectively to safely provide authorized project benefits, minimize liability, and ensure water management and conservation. Facility Security The Regional Security Office is responsible for protecting the public, Reclamation employees, and Reclamation facilities (including three Major Mission Critical dams and one National Critical Infrastructure dam) through the development and implementation of an integrated security and law enforcement program. The Reclamation 24-hour Duty Officer is headquartered at the Hoover Dam Police Department Command Center, and all Command Center security personnel have been trained to perform these critical responsibilities. Additionally, the Region collaborates with a variety of local law enforcement agencies and its operating entities to ensure the safety of its critical structures and facilities. Doing Business in the Region The LC Region manages millions of dollars in power revenue and appropriations from Congress. Much of the Region’s budget is income generated directly by the ratepayers who buy power

Safety inspection of Davis Dam on the Colorado River near Bullhead City

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from Hoover, Davis and Parker Dams and the NGS. The Financial Management Office oversees the Region’s budget to ensure fiscal responsibility and transparency, and prepares out-year budget proposals reflecting program goals. The Region’s Acquisitions program manages the bidding and awards process for government contracts, with a focus on small and minority owned businesses, and tracks grants and agreements for projects specifically associated with Native American water programs. Hiring the best and the brightest is the priority for the Human and Information Resources group, which prepares job announcements and orients new employees, offers training and leadership development, and works with the Region’s Equal Employment Opportunity office to recruit candidates from diverse backgrounds to enhance the quality of our workforce.

Hoover Dam and the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (the second highest bridge in the United States) span the Colorado River between Arizona and Nevada

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Lower Colorado Regional Highlights Sustainability Programs The LC Region incorporates a comprehensive Environmental Management System in compliance with Section 2 of Executive Order 13423, and consistently meets or exceeds established sustainability, recycling, and energy management goals and objectives. Additionally, a Building Management System integrated into some of the Region’s structures enable better control of heating and cooling, and improved metrics on energy use and water consumption. Fleet vehicle use is also being monitored by all offices, allowing improved assessment of requirements and an opportunity to reduce the number of needed vehicles.

Youth Programs The LC Region consistently develops new skills in current employees and actively recruits new employees through a variety of diverse outreach methods. Apprenticeships, developmental assignments, and a leadership development program help existing employees refresh and develop new skills. Student employees are hired through several authorities and encouraged to join Reclamation as career employees after graduation. Additionally, using authorities provided though the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993, the Youth Conservation Corps Act of 1970, and the Student Education Employment Program, the LC Region employs, educates, and engages a number of young people in Reclamation work in the office and in the field. America’s Great Outdoors There are 15 major recreation areas on Reclamation projects in the LC Region. Reclamation’s Hoover Dam is a popular national and international tourist destination with over 800,000 people a year touring the dam and Visitor Center. Visitation to lower Colorado River communities, parks, refuges and lakes approaches 12 million people, annually generating billions of dollars in revenue for local communities. Boating, fishing, camping and viewing the areas’ wildlife in these locations are just some of the activities promoted through America’s Great Outdoors initiative.

C.A.S.T. Events Catch A Special Thrill (C.A.S.T.) events are held annually at Lake Pleasant and Lake Mead in the LC Region. Hundreds of Reclamation employees and volunteers from other agencies and organizations work the events which attract nearly 100 special needs and economically challenged kids for a day of fishing. Bait, tackle and a fishing buddy are provided, with a trophy or a plaque awarded to each child after a healthy lunch. These half-day events fully support the Department of the Interior’s Let’s Move Outside initiative.

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Organization Chart - Lower Colorado Regional Office

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Yuma Area Office General Overview

Reclamation’s Yuma Area Office (YAO) is located 5 miles west of Yuma, Arizona. YAO is responsible for assuring water delivery, flood control, river navigation and wildlife habitat along the Colorado River in Arizona, California, and along the border with Mexico. YAO supplies water to more than 1.7 municipal water users and for use on 1.2 million acres of commercial agriculture.

YAO manages the Colorado River from Davis Dam to the border with Mexico – with responsibility for operation or maintenance of numerous dams or water storage facilities including Imperial, Laguna and Senator Wash Dams, and Warren H. Brock Storage Reservoir. Large-scale well fields are operated and maintained by YAO to help control groundwater levels near the Yuma area and manage salinity. YAO is also home to the Yuma Desalting Plant (YDP), one of the world’s largest reverse osmosis desalination plants, and the Water Quality Improvement Center, where advanced water treatment research is conducted. YAO provides irrigation or municipal water to 12 major water districts and 11 Native American Tribes and participates in water conservation and outreach projects with these organizations at the local and county levels.

Colorado River Water Delivery. Each year, about 7 million acre-feet (AF) of Colorado River water is released at Parker Dam for delivery to water customers in the YAO’s area of operations. The majority of the water is used for commercial agriculture in the Coachella, Imperial, Yuma and Mexicali valleys – with 1.5 million AF of Colorado River water delivered to Mexico to satisfy the requirements of the 1944 Water Treaty between the U.S and Mexico. Groundwater & Salinity Management. In the Yuma area, high groundwater levels can adversely affect production agriculture, sanitary systems and the foundations of buildings and other structures. The YAO operates a system of pumps and wells designed to lower groundwater levels and mitigate the problems associated with high groundwater levels. The YAO also operates and maintains structures and over 50 miles of water conveyances designed to return pumped groundwater to the Colorado River, thereby reducing the need to release a like amount of water from Parker Dam. Groundwater pumped from the Yuma area, agricultural return flows, and runoff added to the Colorado River constitutes approximately 20 percent of the total water deliveries to Mexico and conserves about 290,000 AF of water in U.S. reservoirs.

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Generally, the groundwater in the Yuma area consists of higher salt concentrations than that of the Colorado River. Minute No. 242 of the Treaty allows the YAO to include pumped groundwater as part of its delivery to Mexico so long as the difference in the salinity of the delivery at the Northerly International Boundary upstream of Mexico’s Morelos Dam is no more than 145 parts per million higher than the salinity of the Colorado River arriving at Imperial Dam, based on a flow-weighted annual average (the salinity differential). Resource Management. The YAO provides management and oversight of 585,000 acres of Federally-owned land associated with the Colorado River, and maintains levee systems, and the irrigation systems in Imperial and Yuma valleys. This includes 276 river miles, 160 miles of levee, 30 miles of railroad track, 5 miles of public highway, 142 miles of power lines, 25 quarries, 51 rock and gravel stockpile sites, and over 800 miles of canals. The YAO receives in excess of 1,000 inquiries each year related to these resources. The inquiries range from environmental issues, water and land contract applications and authorizations, and media and public affairs requests from both the public and private sectors.

YAO’s environmental stewardship includes consultations which are conducted and coordinated with all interested parties to obtain permits and clearances. Compliance is ensured for a variety of Federal and state regulations such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act. Outreach programs to water districts, Native American Indian Tribes, schools, and civic organizations are utilized to promote water conservation and canal safety.

Maintenance Services. The YAO is responsible for maintaining the Colorado River from Davis Dam to the border with Mexico, about 276 river miles. This includes maintenance of the river channel and banklines, jetties, washfans, gates, bridges, levees, backwaters, and associated access roads. This maintenance not only ensures reliable water delivery, but also provides river bankline erosion stabilization as a result of operational river elevation fluctuations in addition to protection from periodic high flow events on both the Colorado and Gila Rivers. YAO periodically removes accumulated sediment buildup from behind Laguna and Imperial Dams, their associated settling basins and other Colorado River areas through river dredging or channel excavation activities to ensure efficient water delivery. Desalting Services. The YDP was constructed under authority of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974 to control or to manage salinity of water delivered pursuant to the 1944 Water Treaty. Construction of the YDP was essentially completed in 1992. Shortly thereafter, it was commissioned for operation at one-third capacity. However, YDP operations were interrupted in 1993 due to a Gila River high flow event that damaged the Main Outlet Drain Extension canal which conveys irrigation return flows from the Wellton-Mohawk Drainage and Irrigation District to the YDP. The YDP later was operated for a three-month demonstration run in 2007 at about ten percent of full capacity. Beginning in 2010, a Pilot Run (Run) was completed for eleven months to determine if any corrective actions to the original plant design or equipment would be necessary for potential long-term operation of the plant. The plant operated continuously for 328 days. No major equipment problems occurred during the Run, and the plant’s performance confirmed the effectiveness of the facility as a potential conservation tool to extend water supplies on the lower Colorado River during times of unprecedented drought.

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The Water Quality Improvement Center (WQIC), a state-of-the art advanced water treatment research center, is also located at the YAO and provides Reclamation with the means to investigate new and improved water treatment technologies – including research into new pretreatment technologies. It is one of two Reclamation water research centers and the only center focused on both agricultural drainage flows and the Colorado River. Research is conducted by Reclamation and academia, state and local governments, and the private sector. The Technology Transfer Act of 1996 makes facilities like this center available to other parties in order to expedite putting advanced water treatment technologies into widespread use and to identify less expensive means to operate the plant. An Analytical Laboratory (Lab) provides advanced water quality data analysis for various customers inside and outside YAO. The Lab is licensed by the State of Arizona and participates in established quality assurance/quality control programs. The Lab also conducts special studies on water characteristics that may have an effect on treatment technologies or processes. YAO 5 Lines of Business

YAO’s Aging Infrastructure With a projects office established in 1903, one of the greatest challenges currently facing the YAO is aging infrastructure. Well-functioning dams, conveyance systems, and wells are critical to the YAO’s ability to achieve its mission obligations – with many of these structures now more than 75 years old. As such, many of these facilities are in need of repair or modernization and the YAO is making improvements annually as budgets and staff resources permit.

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Phoenix Area Office Brief History. Since passage of the Reclamation Act in 1902, we have continued to have an impact on water management, development and protection in Arizona and Southwestern New Mexico. One of the first projects authorized was the Salt River Project (SRP). Arizona achieved statehood less than a year after its centerpiece, Theodore Roosevelt Dam, was dedicated in 1911. In central Arizona, the SRP transformed the Valley of the Sun and continues to provide water and power to the citizens of the metropolitan Phoenix area.

More recently, the Central Arizona Project (CAP), declared substantially complete in 1993, delivers water through 336 miles of canals, siphons, and tunnels to farms, municipalities, and Indian tribes. These major projects remain titled to the U.S. Government, and the Phoenix Area Office continues to provide oversight of their operation by local entities, protecting the investment of the American public.

Focus Areas. The Phoenix Area Office has organized its implementation of programs in Arizona into six focus areas.

Fulfill our federal stewardship with respect to existing projects (SRP and CAP oversight)

Construct authorized projects

Work with stakeholders to facilitate solution of

present and future water management issues

Work with Native American Communities on water related issues

Provide a positive work environment for our workforce

Adapt business practices to changing environments

Phoenix Area Office Today

The Phoenix Area Office is committed to working with partners to implement Reclamation’s mission. Such partnerships are the way to bring together a variety of interests in order to address the continuing competition for central Arizona's limited water resources. Our office works with state, county, city, tribal, educational, and private entities to assist Arizona in planning for its future water needs. PXAO is completing the Indian distribution system and Tucson reliability features of the CAP. Our office is an integral component of current issues involving the Navajo Generating Station, and our staff serves as Reclamation and Department representatives on Indian water rights settlement negotiations teams as well as being responsible for the implementation of the Arizona Water Settlements Act and the White Mountain Apache Tribe settlement.

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PHOENIX AREA OFFICE PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES SALT RIVER PROJECT Authorized in 1903 under the Reclamation Act, its most notable feature, Theodore Roosevelt Dam, was constructed in 6 years at the confluence of the Salt River and Tonto Creek, about 75 miles northeast of Phoenix. In March 1911, President Theodore Roosevelt traveled to the dam to attend the dedication of his namesake. Less than one year later, Arizona achieved statehood.

The Salt River Project delivers approximately 1 million acre-feet of water to central Arizona via a system of dams, reservoirs, canals, and irrigation laterals. The project provides recreational opportunities (boating, fishing, camping, water-related sports) on its reservoirs and canal-side trails in the heart of the city. Recreation is managed by partners: the Forest Service, Arizona Fish and Game Department, and through agreements with cities.

While Reclamation retains title to the SRP, the operating entity is the Salt River Water Users Association, and they are responsible for day-to-day operations and maintenance of the project, with Federal oversight. SRP delivers water, from a 13,000 square mile watershed, to over 6,000 customers in a metropolitan Phoenix area covering 375 square miles.

In 1996, Reclamation completed modifications to Theodore Roosevelt dam, which increased safety, flood control, and storage capacity. All of the SRP dams are regularly inspected and evaluated under the Safety of Dams program.

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CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT Authorized by the 1968 Colorado River Basin Project Act and built by the Bureau of Reclamation for the State of Arizona, this multipurpose water resource development and management project delivers 1.5 million acre-feet of Arizona’s 2.8 million acre-foot Colorado River entitlement to central and southern Arizona. Reclamation oversees the operation and maintenance conducted by the Central Arizona Water Conservation District. The project delivers water from the Colorado River at Lake Havasu on Arizona’s western border to agricultural land in Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima Counties, and to several Arizona communities, including the metropolitan areas of Phoenix and Tucson. Water is also delivered to Indian Tribes in

southern Arizona. Other areas of the State benefit from the project through water exchanges. In addition to the water supply, the project provides power, flood control, and fish and wildlife habitat benefits. In addition to Lake Pleasant Regional Park, operated by Maricopa County at Lake Pleasant behind New Waddell Dam, the CAP offers unique, nationally known canal-side recreation within its retention basins: Tournament Players Club and WestWorld in Scottsdale, and numerous equestrian and hiking trails, soccer fields, and baseball fields including one designed for physically challenged children in Phoenix. Future trail development and related recreational components are being explored as well.

The 336-mile-long delivery system includes 14 pumping plants and 1 pump/generating plant, 10 siphons carrying water under riverbeds and large washes, 3 tunnels, more than 45 turnouts connecting the CAP aqueduct with customers’ delivery systems, a large storage reservoir (formed by New Waddell Dam), and a sophisticated computerized control center. On its lengthy journey across the state from Lake Havasu to the southern boundary of the Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation southwest of Tucson, water is pumped nearly 3,000 vertical feet and flows through the aqueduct by gravity following the natural contours of the land. Electricity to operate the pumping plants is produced at the Navajo Generating Station near Page, Arizona, and Hoover Dam near Las Vegas, Nevada. Construction of the CAP began on May 6, 1973, with a groundbreaking ceremony on the shores of Lake Havasu for what is now the Mark Wilmer pumping plant. In 1985, the first Colorado River water was delivered to the Harquahala Valley Irrigation District west of Phoenix. Initial water deliveries to the city of Phoenix also began in 1985. In 1992, the city of Tucson received its first deliveries of CAP water. The project was declared substantially complete on September 30, 1993, and turned over to the Central Arizona Water Conservation District for operation and maintenance. In 1994, New Waddell Dam stored Colorado River water and generated hydroelectricity for the first time. Construction continues on the Indian distribution systems, Tucson reliability features, and fish barriers. New Mexico is contemplating construction of authorized infrastructure on the Gila River system.

Placing pipe during construction of the CAP

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FISH BARRIERS. In 2008, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a Section 7 biological opinion stating that the Central Arizona Project presented an opportunity for non-native fish to gain entrance to central Arizona rivers and streams.

Conservation measures of the biological opinion included a requirement to construct a total of 12 fish barriers in central Arizona. These barriers prevent non-native fish from moving upstream, and provide protected habitat for current endangered species and allow for the return of some species to their native habitat.

This map shows the proposed potential fish barrier sites developed as a result of the Fish &

Wildlife biological opinion. Also included is the Tule Creek barrier which was a mitigation requirement of the New Waddell Dam EIS, not a requirement of the biological opinion.

The most recently completed fish barrier is on Blue River, a tributary of the Gila River near the New Mexico border. In addition to Blue River, fish barriers have been completed on Aravaipa Creek, Bonita Creek, Fossil Creek, Cottonwood Springs and Hot Springs. The remaining fish barriers are scheduled to be completed by 2023.

These barriers are in remote areas where they will have less impact on the human population. However, some of them are in designated wilderness areas or are so remote that special permissions and innovative construction planning become necessary. These and other obstacles may result in some sites being abandoned and alternatives will be planned.

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NAVAJO GENERATING STATION – KAYENTA MINE COMPLEX (NGS-KMC)

NGS-KMC is the name given to the project that is working to renew the leases and contracts to allow the Navajo Generating Station to keep running after the current agreements end. The Salt River Project and the Peabody Western Coal Company want to extend the plant's operations through 2044. They are the project’s "proponents." Electricity from the United States’ share, that is not used to power the CAP, is sold to help repay the costs of building the CAP and to fund Indian water rights settlements between the Federal government and tribes in central Arizona. Because there is a Federal interest in the NGS and Federal approval of the lease and contract renewals are needed, an environmental impact statement (EIS) must be prepared for the NGS-KMC Project to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), before any Federal action can be taken that would allow the plant or mine to continue operating beyond December 2019. The Department of the Interior directed the Bureau of Reclamation to be the lead agency, and the Office of Surface Mining and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to be “key cooperating agencies” in preparing the EIS. The EIS will evaluate the environmental impacts that would occur if the NGS and KMC continue to operate through December 2044. The public will have a chance to suggest alternatives to the proposed project that should be considered in the EIS, as well as resources, issues and concerns that should be studied. There will be other chances for the public to comment before the EIS is finalized and a final decision is made. The Phoenix Area Office is providing project management for this effort.

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT. The Phoenix Area Office is responsible for water resource planning activities within its geographical boundaries. The primary goal is to utilize authorized programs and Reclamation expertise, working with partners and stakeholders, to identify and quantify specific water resource issues and to assist in developing workable solutions. The federal objective in water resource planning is to utilize a structured approach to water resource problem-solving and provide a rational framework for sound decision-making. Planning processes develop alternatives for decision-makers to compare and contrast as they consider long-term solutions to water resource issues.

Multiple programs are available to assist in improved resource management. The Reclamation Act of 1902 authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to conduct Appraisal Studies, Special Studies, and Investigations. Specific Congressional authorization is required for a Feasibility Study unless the Feasibility Study is for wastewater reclamation and reuse, authorized by Public Law 102-575, Title XVI, or more recently, for projects selected through the Title XVI component of our WaterSMART and Rural Water programs. Planning tools in Reclamation’s toolbox include the various WaterSMART program components designed to help resource managers make wise decisions about water use, particularly as they deal with impacts of climate change; applied research and development to improve water management through the Science and Technology program; and assisting small communities through the Rural Water Program.

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Technical Assistance - Reclamation can provide data, technical knowledge, and expertise to aid in conservation and allocation of natural resources. Reclamation can provide assistance in the technical, evaluation, and management phases of water resource program efforts and projects.

General Investigations Program - Helps organizations and groups identify and formulate a plan to develop new water supplies from traditional sources (such as surface water and ground water) and ways to deliver existing supplies to new service areas. Assists in formulating realistic water management plans by defining the physical operation of watersheds and how they can be managed to meet the needs of inhabitants.

Appraisal Study - A brief investigation (typically about one year) to determine whether to proceed to a feasibility study. An Appraisal Study uses existing data and information and identifies plans to meet current and projected objectives. Appraisal Studies present an array of options that have been screened and evaluated to justify potential Federal involvement, and identify at least one potential solution.

Feasibility Study - A detailed investigation authorized by law or Congress to determine the desirability of seeking Congressional authorization to implement a project. Feasibility Studies require a detailed Environmental Impact Study pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act and other related statues.

PXAO is actively involved in the planning process throughout Arizona and is assisting New Mexico in formulating a plan to utilize their Arizona Water Settlements Act benefits based on sound planning principles. We are working with the Coconino Plateau Water Advisory Council on a feasibility level study that will provide a more assured water supply to cities and tribes in north central Arizona. The Yavapai Highlands appraisal study is a regional effort to evaluate and address potential unmet water demands in the upper and middle Verde watersheds in the year 2050. Similar work incorporating projected impacts to supplies resulting from climate change is just beginning in the West Salt River Valley Basin Study in the Phoenix Metropolitan area. In southern Arizona, we are working on studies in the Green Valley and Nogales areas, studying effluent utilization and recharge in the Tucson and Sierra Vista areas, and developing ways to assure Central Arizona Project reliability of deliveries to the Tucson area. Other studies are being conducted on the Little Colorado River, the Mogollom Rim, and with various municipalities in the metropolitan Phoenix area exploring solutions for salinity management and improved water quality.

PXAO NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS OFFICE. The Phoenix Area Office's Native American Affairs Office provides a direct point of contact for tribes throughout Arizona to address tribal needs and to ensure consistency in Reclamation/tribal relationships. The primary missions of the Phoenix Native American Affairs Office are to fulfill the mandates of Reclamation law and policy as they apply specifically to Native Americans and to assist area Indian tribes in their development of water and related infrastructure on their reservations.

Tribes are sovereign nations, much like states are sovereign bodies, maintaining their own laws, regulations and customs. Unlike states, however, the relationship between the Federal

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government and the tribes is a government-to-government relationship, in which the U.S. maintains a statutory trust responsibility. In 1975, Congress passed the Indian Self-Determination and Education Act (P.L. 93-638) which empowered the tribes to assume more responsibility and control of their tribal programs and functions. In essence, this means that the tribes, at their discretion, under the terms and conditions of P.L. 93-638, may request and assume responsibility for programs or projects traditionally performed by federal agencies within the Department of Interior and Department of Health and Human Services. In fact, PXAO was the first non-BIA agency to execute an annual funding agreement under the self governance provisions of P.L. 93-638.

ARIZONA WATER SETTLEMENTS ACT IMPLEMENTATION. The Arizona Water Settlements Act (P.L. 108-541), signed by the President on December 10, 2004, resolved the Central Arizona Project repayment litigation between the United States and the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, water rights of the Gila River Indian Community, and implementation issues of the Southern Arizona Water Rights Settlement Act of 1982. A brief summary of the Act:

Title I includes provisions necessary to implement the Central Arizona Project (CAP) Stipulated Agreement, which settled the litigation over repayment and O&M issues (Title I); Title I of the Act also allows 197,500 acre feet of non-Indian Agricultural priority CAP water to become available to the Secretary for Federal purposes. In addition, the Lower Colorado River Basin Development Fund, authorized by Title I, is being invested and funds are being accrued and managed by Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Regional Office to provide for various components identified in each Title of the Act.

Title II resolved water rights issues related to the Gila River Indian Community Title III amended the Southern Arizona Water Rights Settlement Act of 1982 Title IV is the San Carlos Apache Tribe Water Rights Settlement.

The AWSA became enforceable on December 14, 2007, when the Secretary published the required Statement of Findings in the Federal Register. The publishing of the Statement of Findings by the Secretary was the trigger for numerous implementation activities required by the AWSA, and Reclamation was delegated many of these responsibilities. These Reclamation responsibilities include the administration of Development Fund, environmental compliance, construction oversight of several Indian and non-Indian irrigation distribution systems, development of programs for firming approximately 36,900 acre-feet of Non-Indian Agricultural Priority water to a Municipal and Industrial priority, reduction of water rights in the Upper Gila Valley, and implementation of the New Mexico Consumptive Use and Forbearance Agreement. WHITE MOUNTAIN APACHE TRIBE SETTLEMENT IMPLEMENTATION. The White Mountain Apache Reservation lies within the Salt River sub-basin, which provides the Phoenix metropolitan area with much of its water supply. Water rights negotiations resulted in agreements by the parties on the total amount and source of settlement water. Although the Tribe cannot take Central Arizona Project (CAP) water directly, CAP water from the pool set aside for future Indian settlements in the Arizona Water Settlement Act will be an important component of its long-term water budget to reach settlement. The centerpiece of the Quantification Agreement is the construction of the Miner Flat Project, a rural water system project designed to bring municipal water to a large portion of the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation.

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Public Law 111-291 authorizes, ratifies, and approves the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Agreement (Quantification Agreement), which was reached on January 13, 2009, by the Tribe and the non-federal parties, including the State of Arizona, local water and power districts, local towns, and conservation districts. The Quantification Agreement authorizes construction of a rural water system that consists of a dam and storage reservoir, pumping plant, treatment facilities, and distribution system. Ownership of the system is to be conveyed to the Tribe after operating criteria and procedures have been established, and it has been operated successfully under those operating procedures for three years. Upon conveyance, the United States would no longer be responsible for the operation, maintenance, or replacement costs. Expenditure of funds authorized in the Quantification Agreement is not allowed until the Secretary publishes in the Federal Register a statement of findings that certain conditions are met. Public Law 110-390, directs the Secretary to provide a loan of $9.8 million (indexed for inflation) to complete the planning, engineering, and design of the Miner Flat Project. Work related to the Miner Flat Project will provide technical information necessary for the Secretary to issue a Record of Decision, which is one of the components necessary to reach enforceability.

STATE INITIATIVES. The Phoenix Area Office coordinates with Tribal Nations, the States of Arizona and New Mexico, counties, cities, local water providers, interest groups, and many others to assess future water demands and promote solutions to ongoing water management and development issues. Our office has always valued local partnerships and recognizes the importance of working cooperatively with all water users.

PXAO is cooperating with New Mexico in their Tier 2 Evaluation Process related to Implementation of the AWSA and with the state of Arizona on the Water Resources Development Commission, the Governor's Blue Ribbon Panel on Water Sustainability, and the Central Arizona Project’s Add Water Program. Today we are coordinating with Tribes, CAWCD, and water users to develop a CAP Wheeling program to utilize existing and expanded Federal infrastructure to convey additional water to central Arizona.

Phoenix Area Office Organizational Chart

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