Water in California Colorado River Aqueduct California State Water Project By Mina Greas

The Colorado River Aqueduct

The Law of the River The Colorado River is managed and operated under numerous compacts, federal laws, court decisions and decrees, contracts, and regulatory guidelines collectively known as "The Law of the River”.

The Compact Divides the river basin into two areas: Upper Division Colorado New Mexico Utah Wyoming Lower Division Nevada Arizona California

Upper Basin 7.5 million acre·ft/year (293 m³/s) total Colorado 51.75%* 3.86 million acre·ft/year (150.7 m³/s) Utah 23.00%* 1.71 million acre·ft/year (67.0 m³/s) Wyoming 14.00%* 1.04 million acre·ft/year (40.8 m³/s) New Mexico 11.25%* 0.84 million acre·ft/year (32.8 m³/s) Arizona 0.70% 0.05 million acre·ft/year (2.0 m³/s) * *Percentages with a star are a percentage of the total after Arizona‘s 0.05 million are deducted. Arizona's percentage is of the total.

Lower Basin 7.5 million acre·ft/year (293 m³/s) total California 58.70% 4.40 million acre·ft/year (172 m³/s) Arizona 37.30% 2.80 million acre·ft/year (109 m³/s) Nevada 4.00% 0.30 million acre·ft/year (12 m³/s)

What it takes to bring us water?

What it takes to bring us water?

What it takes to bring us water?

What it takes to bring us water?

What it takes to bring us water?

What it takes to bring us water?

Colorado River Compact and the environment When the Compact was signed in 1922, environmental issues were not considered. Environmental Issues: Using and reusing the river water changes the condition of the water. Negative Impacts on Ecosystem Damming, results in unfavorable environments for native fish species. They cannot pass or travel.

Colorado River Compact and the environment Reduced silt deposits. Takes minerals from the water which will be deposited downstream. The water temperature becomes colder because the water depth behind the dam is much deeper. High water usage destroyed the delta in Mexico which was once lush green with rich silt deposits.

California State Water Project

California State Water Project The California State Water Project, commonly known as the SWP (simply State Water Project), It is the world's largest publicly built and operated water and power development and conveyance system.

California State Water Project The original purpose of the project was to provide water for arid Southern California.

California State Water Project Today, the SWP provides drinking water for over 23 million people and generates an average 6.5 million MWh of hydroelectricity each year.

California State Water Project The largest consumer of power in the state are the pumps needed to bring the water to Southern California, its net usage is 5.1 million MWh.

California State Water Project 80% of the water carried by the project is used for agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley. Primary features of the project include: Orovill Dam San Luis Reservoir California Aqueduct

California State Water Project and the environment Conservationists say the pumping stations kill too many of the endangered fish.

California State Water Project and the environment In dry years, water pumped from the Sacramento River Delta creates a hazard to spring-run salmon, as the currents that the salmon spawn normally follow to the Pacific Ocean go to the pumps instead. This and other water use and environmental problems led to the creation of the CALFED Bay-Delta Program or CALFED in 1994.