Newsroom Channel

Reclamation Maintaining Reduced Storage Level at Senator Wash Reservoir During Scheduled Maintenance

BOULDER CITY, NV – Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Region announced today that it will continue to maintain a reduced water level at Senator Wash Dam and Reservoir for the next several weeks to accommodate drilling of new hydraulic relief wells. The work will continue for the next eight- to ten-weeks, and will result in increased operational safety at the off-stream storage reservoir.

Eight new relief wells are currently being installed at the facility along the lower Colorado River, approximately 20 miles north of Yuma, Arizona, to reduce the potential effects of normally-occurring seepage through the dam’s foundation and embankment zones.

“Elevation level of the reservoir will be maintained approximately 8 feet lower than normal until this routine work is completed at the facility in mid- to late-June,” said Jennifer McCloskey, Reclamation’s Yuma Area Office Manager. “It’s important that everyone uses caution around the facility during the period when water levels are lower.”

Senator Wash, located along the Colorado River about two miles upstream from Imperial Dam, provides swimming, fishing, boating, skiing, and wildlife viewing opportunities to recreational users and wildlife enthusiasts visiting the Yuma area. This off-stream retention reservoir improves water scheduling of the Colorado River by storing part of the river flow upstream of Imperial Dam, and releasing it to the river for downstream use when it’s needed.

Whole 'lotta' science going on

Reclamation employees joined thousands of Las Vegas-area kids at the 2013 Science and Technology Expo on May 4 at the Cashman Center.

The Expo is the culmination of the Las Vegas Science and Technology Festival, a weeklong series of science events produced by Exhibit IQ and the Las Vegas Natural History Museum.

The event is in its third year, and Phil Aurit, an environmental awareness specialist in the Resources Management Office (RMO), said Reclamation has staffed a booth each year since the event began.

“Every year the event has gotten bigger and better, and we’ve had more kids and families visit our exhibit,” he said.

Nathan Lenon, a biologist who coordinates the outreach program for the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP), said that when Reclamation staff attended the first year’s event, they didn’t know what to expect. “We had some simple displays the first year and thought we’d get a few kids visiting the booth, but it was pretty crazy to have thousands of people attending, and we were swamped the whole time,” Lenon said.

John Good and Marilyn Gillespie, two of the event organizers, estimated that nearly 10,000 people attended the 2013 Expo.

“The festival showcases science and engineering activities in the local community, but it’s also lots of fun for kids,” said Good.

Gillespie said that brochures went out ahead of time to kids in the Clark County School District.

“The school district is a tremendous partner for the science festival,” said Gillespie. “This is a huge event for local students, and the school board believes that the science festival really benefits the target audience of school-age kids.”

For the 2013 Expo, several Reclamation employees from the Lower Colorado Region helped Aurit and Lenon set up displays and answer questions about Reclamation activities along the lower Colorado River. When asked which display was the most popular, Lenon pointed to the aquarium holding fingerling razorback suckers from the nearby Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery, located on the Arizona side of the Colorado River downstream of Hoover Dam.

“I may be biased, because I’ve worked as a fisheries biologist, but the aquarium is like a giant magnet for kids,” said Lenon.

Lenon and the other Reclamation employees staffing the booth answered questions about the fish, which is an endangered species in the Colorado River and one of the covered species for the LCR MSCP.

At the other end of the display table, a series of objects encrusted with quagga mussels drew equally large crowds. Heidi McMaster, an environmental protection assistant also in the RMO, whose work includes monitoring quagga mussels at Lake Havasu on the Colorado River, said that kids were very inquisitive about the quagga mussel displays.

“They especially like the flip-flop sandal covered with mussels,” she said.

In addition to Aurit, Lenon and McMaster, Lower Colorado Regional Office employees assisting with this year’s Expo exhibit included Dana Anat, Diane Bangle, Neal Muirhead, Laura Sandor, Randy Thomas, and Ty Wolters.

Students visit Region’s offices on ‘Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day’

On April 25, more than 50 students who are the children, grandchildren, nephews, and nieces of Lower Colorado Region employees visited various offices as part of the “Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day’ observance. At the Regional Office’s Date Street Office Complex almost 40 children visited. For this group there was a morning of tours and activities, which ended with a pizza lunch.
LEFT – First on the list of offices the students visited was the Print Shop where Susie Levin, far left, demonstrates how paper pads are made. RIGHT – Regional Photographer Andy Pernick, right, explains the function of the Imagery Group. Assisting him is Alex Stephens, center.

LEFT – Terri Saumier, standing far right, gave the students briefings about the nearly completed new Training Center and the “green” Building 1400. RIGHT – Don Bryce, center, explained how electricity is conducted through various materials.

ABOVE TOP – Julie Martinez and Phil Aurit discuss a brief geography lesson as they explain how quagga mussels made it to Lake Mead from Russia. ABOVE MIDDLE – Joe Stubitz, standing far left, explains how the Date Street Office Complex solar panels help in lowering Reclamation’s power bill by generating electrical power. ABOVE – John Stemmer, right, explains about the importance of safe operations when using heavy equipment. After his briefing, he demonstrated the operation of a dump truck, backhoe, forklift, and a high-access unit, commonly called a “cherry picker.” LEFT – Corey Dickson, left, explains the basics of rope access and the procedures that are done to ensure the safety of climbers such as Brandon Barrows hanging in the rope harness. Right – Brandon Barrows explains how carabiners work. ABOVE LEFT – Cory Dickson checks with a student volunteer to make sure he is comfortable, before he and Brandon Barrows demonstrate how a rescue is made. ABOVE RIGHT – Ty Wolters lets students in his group examine PITs (Passive Integrated Transponders) that are injected into fish to facilitate tracking. ABOVE – Parents and children enjoy the pizza party provided by the Regional Office REA. The morning concluded with a departing message from Regional Engineer Scott Tincher, Engineering Services Office Chie
LCR photos by Steve Leon

Reclamation FONSI Will Result From Exchange of CAP Water Between Ft. McDowell Yavapai Nation and SRP

PHOENIX – The Bureau of Reclamation issued a draft environmental assessment in November 2012 on its proposed approval of an exchange agreement between the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District/Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association (collectively known as SRP).

Following a public comment period which ended Dec. 14, 2012, Reclamation has determined that its approval of the Exchange Agreement, and subsequent implementation, will not result in significant environmental impacts and concludes an environmental impact statement is not required.

A 1994 settlement agreement entitles the Nation to up to 13,933 acre-feet annually of Central Arizona Project water. The CAP water can only be delivered via an exchange which allows the Nation to divert water from the Verde River. SRP will then receive an equivalent amount of the Nation's CAP water entitlement at its CAP/SRP Interconnection Facility. Because this is a federal action, compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act is required, and Reclamation is required to approve the agreement on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior.

The FONSI and draft environmental assessment are posted for public review on Reclamation’s Phoenix Area Office website, www.usbr.gov/lc/phoenix. A hard copy or CD version of the documents are available by calling the Environmental Resource Management Division at (623) 773-6251, or by e-mailing jharagara@usbr.gov.

Questions should be directed to Ms. Eto at (623) 773-6254.

Reclamation Issues Draft EA on Proposal to Rehabilitate the Casa Blanca Canal on the Gila River Indian Reservation

PHOENIX- The Bureau of Reclamation has issued a draft environmental assessment on a proposal to rehabilitate the Casa Blanca Canal on lands within the Gila River Indian Reservation, approximately 30 miles south of Phoenix, Arizona.

The Casa Blanca Canal is one of the several irrigation delivery canals operated by the Gila River Indian Community (Community). The purpose of the project is to improve delivery service to Community farmland near the town of Sacaton by enhancing the efficiency of the irrigation system and by providing more flexibility in its operations to respond to changing needs and conditions.

The draft environmental assessment is available for public review on Reclamation’s Phoenix Area Office website, www.usbr.gov/lc/phoenix.

A paper copy or CD version of the document is available by calling the Environmental Resource Management Division at (623) 773-6251, or by e-mailing jharagara@usbr.gov.

Please mail your comments to Mr. John McGlothlen, Bureau of Reclamation, 6150 W. Thunderbird Rd., Glendale, AZ 85306-4001. Comments may also be e-mailed to jmcglothlen@usbr.gov, or faxed to (623) 773-6486. To be considered, comments must be submitted no later than April 15, 2013.

Questions should be directed to Mr. McGlothlen at (623) 773-6256.

Reclamation Mascot to Chase Down Water Wasters in "Fix a Leak Week" Race in Peoria, Arizona

Where can you join a running toilet, a water drop, and a otter all at the same event? At Central Arizona's Fix A Leak 4-Mile Race and Family Festival on March 9, 2013. The Bureau of Reclamation joins several other local water management agencies, municipal utilities, and educational institutions in sponsoring the event each year, reminding Arizonans to annually check their plumbing fixtures and irrgation systems for water wasting leaks.

The event will be held at Rio Vista Park, 8866 West Thunderbird Road in Peoria, Ariz. The day starts at 7:00 a.m. with a 4-mile race with a Family Fun Festival following until 11:00 a.m. The race is an officially sanctioned and timed race, followed by a mascot race in which our own 'Otto Otter' will be participating.

There will be food. music, and prizes for the racers. For the kids, there are bounce houses, the mascot race, and a coloring station.

"Fix a Leak Week"

As part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ongoing We're for Water campaign, this year's Fix a Leak Week encourages Americans to help put a stop to the more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted from household leaks each year. The official week is celebrated from March 18-24 this year, but the "One for Water" 4-mile race and festival kick-off the commemorative event in central Arizona on March 9.

"Leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water in an average home every year - enough water to wash nearly 10 months' worth of laundry," said Leeann Spahos, Central Arizona Fix A Leak Week spokesperson. "As a WaterSense partner, we are encouraging consumers to find and fix leaks to save water in our community."

Contact Reclamation Water Conservation Coordinator Lynne Fisher at 623-773-6273 or lfisher@usbr.gov for more information about the week's activities and race.

Reclamation joins Clark County’s World Wetlands Day observance

“What are those things? Wow, that’s gross! Yuk!”

Those are just some of the comments overheard by Biologist Becky Blasius-Wert, Environmental Awareness Specialist Phil Aurit, and Public Affairs Specialist Steve León as they staffed a Bureau of Reclamation exhibit on Jan. 31 at the Clark County Wetlands Park Nature Center and Mitigation Ponds.

The trio was at the Center to represent Reclamation at the County’s observance of World Wetlands Day, a celebration that locally attracted about 100 attendees, mostly primary and secondary students, but some adults as well.

In keeping with this year’s theme “Wetlands Take Care of Water,” Blasius-Wert, Aurit and León joined the other exhibitors in discussing ways to protect Nevada’s wetlands and waterways, specifically Lake Mead and the lower Colorado River. Together they focused on describing the maintenance issue caused by invasive quagga mussels, along with promoting the “Clean, Drain and Dry” and “Don’t Move a Mussel” programs for those who enjoy watercraft recreation in Nevada’s waters and water ways in other Western states.

Additionally, the celebration included clean-up activities, weed pulling, short walking tours, and learning activities for children.

Other exhibitors at the day-long event represented the Nevada Division of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, Clark County Water Reclamation, Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee, U.S. Army of Corps of Engineers, and the National Park Service.

World Wetlands Day concerns “Water management is a necessity in local communities, benefiting people and wildlife both locally and nationally. Wetlands take care of water and wisely using our wetlands is an essential component to the delivery of sustainable water management,” according to Sandra Harris of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, Environmental Monitoring and Management.

“The event was an opportunity to share enlightening and educational information on the importance as well as the necessity of healthy wetlands,” she said.

Las Vegas Wash Whether or not you live near them, the wetlands along the Las Vegas Wash provide many positive benefits for Las Vegas community. The water in the wetland system allows sediments to settle as water moves through the system. This permits a diverse community of microorganisms that break down organic and inorganic pollutants.

In other words, wetland vegetation works as a “filter” and picks up contaminants that may be in the water while microorganisms break these contaminants down as the water flows to Lake Mead.

Originally, the Las Vegas Wash contained about 2,000 acres of lush wetlands. As the population continued to grow in Las Vegas, more water was discharged into the Las Vegas Wash.

In the 1970s, increased water flows started to erode the soil and by the early 1990s, less than 200 acres of wetlands remained.

The 29 members of the Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee (LVWCC) devoted a lot of time and effort to the stabilization and enhancement of wetlands along the Las Vegas Wash.

So far, 14 of the 22 proposed weir structures, as well as several miles of bank protection, have been installed into the system, some by the Bureau of Reclamation, to better manage erosive water flows and reverse wetland degradation.

Wetlands Day History In 1997, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and groups of citizens at all levels of the community took advantage of the opportunity to undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of wetland values and benefits. Currently, more than 98 countries participate each year.

In 2010, the LVWCC was the first group in Nevada to celebrate World Wetlands Day.

Now, each year, World Wetlands Day is celebrated on or around Feb. 2, marking the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, on the shores of the Caspian Sea.

Students gain career insight during National Job Shadow Day experience

Each Feb. 2 is marked on calendars as Groundhog Day. That date is also known as National Job Shadow Day, an observance that strives to give students a new perspective on their studies through hands-on learning and a one-day mentoring experience.

This year, on Feb. 4, 50 students from Western High School visited the Regional Office to participate in this “job shadowing” experience.

Following a brief welcome by Lisa Cronister, Chief, Human Resources Office, and Equal Employment Opportunity Office Manager Linda Rivera, the students were assigned to an office and mentor or mentors, whom they “shadowed” throughout their visit.

The event provided an opportunity to introduce future employees to the variety of careers available in Reclamation and the Region.

“Shadowing” someone on the job can be an academically motivating activity that gives students the unique opportunity for an up-close look at the world of work and provides the answer to the commonly asked question, “Why do I have to learn this?”

This is exactly what Regional Office volunteers had in mind for their students.

As part of the day’s activities, Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP) staff members took nine seniors to the Clark County Wetlands Park Nature Center and Mitigation Ponds to learn about wetland habitat restoration and wildlife identification.

Nick Rice of the Southern Nevada Water Authority met the group at about 9 a.m. As they walked through the Center, he provided an overview detailing the numerous inflows into the wash (tributary washes, treated sewage discharges, shallow groundwater, and surface runoff), and discussed efforts to control erosion, enhance the wetlands, and improve the quality of water flowing into Lake Mead.

“While the Las Vegas Wash is not an LCR MSCP project, it provides a local example of habitat restoration and wildlife observation techniques,” said Nathan Lenon, an LCR MSCP biologist. “We led the group on a walking tour around a series of ponds and trails vegetated with native mesquites and cottonwood.”

They also stopped at key locations to observe birds and their, nests, and trees on which beavers had chewed.

“In a little more than one hour, we observed Great Blue Herons, Northern Shovelers, Common Coots, ring-billed gulls, Greater Yellowlegs, Northern Harriers, ravens, Sharp-Shinned Hawk, and a Black Phoebe,” Lenon said. “We provided binoculars, spotting scopes on tripods, and bird field guides to provide an up-close viewing experience, paired with a study of the specific features used to identify birds.”

He added that this year’s tour was the most successful yet.

“All of the students were actively engaged in the activities,” he said. “We attribute the success to having more staff involvement and a larger group to generate more enthusiasm, as well as additional equipment to ensure continuous participation by all.”

For this part of the Shadow Day experience, the LCR MSCP volunteers also included Jed Blake, Laura Sandor, Allen Calvert, and Joe Kahl.

Additionally, Rivera acknowledged the “. . . many others who were involved in the experience, including Jason Kirby, Julie Martinez, Mark Slaughter, John Stemmer, Peter Harbauer, Cindy Myers, Michael Bernardo, Joe Stubitz, Robert Bunker, and John Ricker.”

She added that Shadow Day concluded with lunch and a Pathways presentation by Megan Castaneda and Drake Cruz, from the Human Resources Office. During their talk, they reviewed the Pathways Program for the students and explained that it is an updated student employment process. They also described how students might participate in it.

Assistant Regional Director Jaci Gould provided the keynote presentation, sharing personal experiences and encouraging students to pursue their goals.

Rivera expressed a special thanks to EEO Specialist Yvette Scott, EEO Assistant/Counselor Georgie Willis, and Program Support Assistant Tammy Stark for coordinating the experience.

Reclamation Building Receives Top Sustainability Rating

Is it green, or is it platinum? For a new Bureau of Reclamation building, it's both. Reclamation's Green Building in Boulder City, Nev. has received a Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) sustainability rating system. The building opened in September 2011 as the newest addition to Reclamation's Lower Colorado Regional Office and is the first Reclamation building (and the third for the Department of Interior, Reclamation's parent agency) to receive the highest LEED rating.

For the high-tech, low-energy building, the Design-Build team used $17.8 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to construct a 50,000-square-foot building (about $4 million was for campus site improvements) with space for 170 current employees. Reconfiguring modular workstations allows room for an additional 30 employees if needed.

Thanks to features such as a water-cooled air conditioning system, high-efficiency light fixtures and a well-insulated building envelope, the building uses 38 percent less energy than a typical office building. An adjacent 270-kilowatt solar farm with nearly 1,200 panels uses southern Nevada's abundant sunlight to provide 100 percent of the building's annual electric budget, making the building's annual electric bill essentially zero.

Project Manager Terri Saumier, a civil engineer with Reclamation, said that the challenge in designing and constructing the building was figuring out how to merge two sets of criteria—Reclamation's Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings and the LEED program's sustainability rating system. Saumier said she frequently used the more-tested LEED program to ensure compliance with the Guiding Principles requirements.

"The project team had to consider the power and water efficiency impacts of every design decision," said Saumier. "The Guiding Principles and LEED are complementary programs but they're distinct. The LEED program has required and optional credits, while the Reclamation mandate is to achieve compliance with the Guiding Principles."

There was also the historical aspect to consider. The new building is in the viewshed of the Boulder City Historic District, an area with a going-back-in-time feel, - especially when coming over the hill from Las Vegas, Boulder City's bigger, glitzier neighbor.

That meant the building had to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Reclamation consulted with the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office and developed design criteria for the project exterior that resulted in a finding of no adverse effect on the historic district.

The historic district dates from the early 1940s, and the Reclamation campus is located in what was historically an industrial area. These two factors largely guided the building’s size, orientation, window layout, and exterior finish and colors, giving the building a retro take on the industrial look that is still prevalent in this part of Boulder City.

"In the proposal phase, we were thrilled that the three proposers interpreted the requirements very differently and we had three unique designs to choose from," said Saumier.

Inside, the numerous windows and preponderance of cubicles give the building an open, airy feel that almost makes it seem you could clear out the space on the weekend for a monster-truck rally. In fact, flexibility is part of the building design, with an unofficial goal of not needing to remodel any hard walls for at least 10 years.

While the Green Building may not have a talking hologram who greets visitors, it does feature a Building Management System (BMS) that manages 27 individual heating, ventilation and air conditioning zones, adjusts air flow based on carbon dioxide levels and determines when to start heating or cooling the building before employees arrive for work. The BMS also automatically turns off unused non-emergency lighting after hours, monitors power generation from the solar farm, and meters power, water, and natural gas use.

To take further advantage of southern Nevada's nearly 300 sunny days per year, solar fixtures provide 100 percent of the campus parking lot and grounds lighting, and 95 percent of the domestic hot water. Let's just say these systems aren't likely to run out of power anytime soon.

Living and working in the desert means that water is scarce, so the building also has its own array of water-conserving features. Aside from low-flow fixtures throughout, which reduce water consumption by 40 percent, the building features a water system that collects water purged from the air conditioning system, treats it to prevent bacterial growth and reuses the water for sanitary purposes before it discharges into the sanitary sewer. The reclaimed water provides about 50 percent of the sanitary water used annually.

Saumier said that being involved in designing and constructing a green building was a rewarding experience.

"I learned that it's possible to integrate historic, high performance and sustainability elements into a project very successfully," she said.

Although, ironically, the Green Building appears in desert colors with hardly a green color in sight, Saumier did show off a recycled glass plaque with a platinum tint slated for installation in the building lobby to mark Reclamation achieving the sustainability rating.

Reclamation to Lower Lake Moovalya About One Foot in Mid-January 2013

The Bureau of Reclamation will lower the level of Lake Moovalya, the small body of water behind Headgate Rock Dam north of Parker, Arizona, by approximately one foot in elevation for a two-week period beginning in early January 2013. Reclamation is coordinating this activity with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to allow the Colorado River Indian Tribes to perform annual maintenance on their area canals.

The temporary drawdown is expected to have only minimal impacts on releases from Parker Dam and will not affect Colorado River flows below Headgate Rock Dam.

The drawdown is scheduled to begin Monday morning, January 7, 2013. The one-foot drop should be completed by Monday afternoon, but environmental conditions could vary the drawdown time.

During the drawdown, the Lake Moovalya water level will stay at approximately elevation 363.40 feet; it is normally at elevation 364.40 feet. The lake should return to its normal elevation by Tuesday, January 22, 2013; however, a return to normal elevation may occur sooner or later based on operational or environmental conditions.

All river users should remember that fluctuating or lower than normal river flows may expose or create natural hazards such as moving sandbars, gravel bars, unstable riverbanks, floating or submerged debris, or other unfamiliar obstacles. As always, caution should be exercised while using the river.

Hoover Dam Focus of Students’ National History Day Research Project

On Nov. 20, a group of five middle school students and one parent escort met with three Regional staff members for an unusual visit to Hoover Dam.

The students, all eighth graders from Sierra Vista Middle School in Irvine, California, were here to meet and interview Hoover Dam representatives as part of their research project for the upcoming National History Day competition “This year's theme is ‘Turning Points in History: People, Ideas, Events,’” said Noah Ng, the student who contacted Beth Young at Hoover Dam and Colleen Dwyer in the Public Affairs Office to arrange the meeting. “My group chose the Hoover Dam as our topic and need to find as much information as possible to prove that Hoover Dam indeed was a turning point.”

Meeting in the Hoover Dam Visitor Center Conference Room with Colleen Dwyer, Becky Wong, and Kathy Stewart, the students stated the thesis as, “During the 1930s, help from the Hoover Dam transformed the Southwest from a barren and dry desert to a prosperous land for agriculture and started the US’s recovery from the Great Depression. By the end of its construction, unemployment was at 16.8 percent, which had been as high as 24.75 percent, and population in the Southwest increased because many farmers had traveled to the area. The states of California, Nevada, and Arizona function thanks to the 4 billion kilowatts of electricity per year and are also protected from the 10 trillion gallons of water it holds back.”

And with the information they received the day of the interview, the students hoped to prove their thesis.

To ascertain the relevant information, the students sent many advance questions that included:

• How did Hoover Dam change the lives of the workers?

• What parts of the Hoover Dam make it important?

• How does the water flowing through Hoover Dam impact us in Southern California?

• How does it impact our live and why should we care about Hoover Dam?

• What was the economic impact of Hoover Dam?

Following the interview session, the students and the staff members exchanged final thoughts. Wong and Stewart also provided a few artifacts from the Dam’s museum collection that the students examine, handle and inspect more closely. However, Wong did explain that because of the rarity and delicacy of some of the items and documents, white gloves had to be worn at all times.

Before the students began their tour of the dam and the Visitor Center, Dwyer said, “I recommend also visiting the Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum in the original Boulder Dam Hotel here in Boulder City,” said Dwyer. “They have a wonderful collection of information, and it is operated by the folks who have stayed in contact with the families of the original workers on the dam (called the 31’ers), so they may have some more ‘personalized’ stories to share about the impacts of the dam on society and history.”

Reclamation Issues Draft EA for Exchange of CAP Water Between the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and SRP

PHOENIX – The Bureau of Reclamation has issued a draft environmental assessment on its proposed approval of an exchange agreement between the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District/Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association (collectively known as SRP).

A 1994 settlement agreement entitles the Nation to up to 13,933 acre-feet annually of Central Arizona Project water. The CAP water can only be delivered via an exchange which allows the Nation to divert water from the Verde River. SRP will then receive an equivalent amount of the Nation's CAP water entitlement at its CAP/SRP Interconnection Facility. Because this is a federal action, compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act is required. Reclamation is required to approve this agreement on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior.

The draft environmental assessment is posted for public review on Reclamation’s Phoenix Area Office website, www.usbr.gov/lc/phoenix. A hard copy or CD version of the document is available by calling the Environmental Resource Management Division at (623) 773-6251, or by e-mailing jharagara@usbr.gov.

Please mail your comments to Ms. Sandra Eto, Bureau of Reclamation, 6150 W. Thunderbird Rd., Glendale AZ 85306-4001, Attention PXAO-1500; via electronic mail to seto@usbr.gov; or fax to (623) 773-6486, no later than December 14, 2012.

Questions should be directed to Ms. Eto at (623) 773-6254.

Reclamation Releases Environmental Documents for Public Review on Proposed Upgrade of Electrical Systems at Imperial Dam

Yuma, Ariz – The Bureau of Reclamation’s Yuma Area Office is issuing a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) today for public review and comment. The EA addresses proposed upgrades to electrical components at Imperial Dam, located approximately 18 miles northeast of Yuma, Arizona.

The proposed Imperial Dam Facilities Improvements Project would upgrade and improve electrical systems, components and service lines at Imperial Dam and its associated facilities, bringing these structures up to current safety standards and National Electrical Codes. With original construction of Imperial Dam completed in 1938, the electrical components providing site power to Imperial Dam and its associated facilities need extensive refurbishment in order to ensure long term operational efficiency and reliability.

The draft EA analyzes and describes the anticipated environmental and human impacts resulting from the proposed action. Based on the analysis, Reclamation made a preliminary determination that authorizing the Imperial Irrigation District to conduct the electrical upgrades will not result in significant environmental or human impacts. As such Reclamation has determined that a FONSI is appropriate and that an environmental impact statement is not needed for this project. Copies of the draft EA and draft FONSI are available for review online at: http://www.usbr.gov/lc/yuma/environmental_docs/environ_docs.html.

Comments on these documents will be accepted until December 19, 2012. Comments should be mailed to Mr. Julian DeSantiago, Environmental Protection Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation, 7301 Calle Agua Salada, Yuma, AZ 85364. They can also be submitted by e-mail at jdesantiago@usbr.gov.

Reclamation Garners National Recognition as ‘Partners in Conservation'

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Deputy Secretary of the Interior David J. Hayes today announced the 2012 Partners in Conservation Awards at a ceremony at the Department of the Interior’s national headquarters.

“The Partners in Conservation Awards provide wonderful examples of how America’s greatest conservation legacies are created when agencies and citizens from a wide range of backgrounds work together,” said Hayes. “These awards recognize dedicated people from across our nation who collaborate to conserve and restore America’s Great Outdoors, to encourage youth involvement in conservation and to address a wide variety of issues.”

“The Bureau of Reclamation is proud to be honored for outstanding projects this year,” said Commissioner Michael L. Connor. “We collaborate with our stakeholders throughout the West every day, and to have two projects nationally recognized for their impacts in collaboration, science, ecology and water management is a outstanding testament to the hard work of our employees.”

In Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Region, Partners in Conservation Awards were earned by two teams. The partners involved in the Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study (Study), which includes federal, state, Native American Tribes and communities, conservation and recreation organizations, and others were honored for their efforts to ensure the sustainability of the Colorado River system. As a part of the Department of the Interior’s WaterSMART initiative, this Study is an unprecedented collective effort by Reclamation, the seven Colorado River Basin States, and a broad range of stakeholders throughout the basin. The Study will present findings of the potential future range of water supply and demand imbalances over the next 50 years and various possible strategies to resolve those imbalances. The Study is scheduled for release in late November.

A second award for the Lower Colorado Region was bestowed on the program leaders from the Region’s unique Lower Colorado Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP) in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for the Hart Mine Restoration Project. The recipients are Mike Oldham with the USFWS Cibola National Wildlife Refuge; Rodney Winch from Reclamation’s Provo Area Office; and Gregg Garnett, Project Leader in the LCR MSCP for the Hart Mine Restoration Project.

Implemented by the Bureau of Reclamation in 2005, The LCR MSCP is a 50-year endeavor that encompasses 3 western states that use water from the lower Colorado River. Over fifty members of the LCR MSCP represent state, federal, and private interests from California, Arizona and Nevada. One of the primary goals of the LCR MSCP is the creation of habitats for 26 species included in the program, including species listed in under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The Hart Mine Marsh Restoration Project added 255 acres of marsh habitat to the LCR MSCP; accounting for nearly half of the program’s total marsh habitat goal. Hart Mine Marsh habitat is already being used by an endangered species, as well as many other resident and migratory wildlife. The project’s documented success has positive implications meeting the requirements of the ESA, securing water resources, and protecting and enhancing natural resources as well as providing new opportunities for educational outreach, scientific research, and outdoor recreation.

“The Hart Mine Marsh Restoration Project represents a successful, productive partnership within the context of a much larger program, giving it far-reaching implications and impact,” said Lower Colorado Regional Director Terrance J. Fulp. “The partnership between the USFWS Refuge managers and the LCR MSCP, and the productive working relationships of the Colorado River Basin Study demonstrate the innovation and best practices for collaboration and communication by our employees across many areas of Lower Colorado River management.

John Swett, Program Manager for the LCR MSCP, and Restoration Group Manager Terry Murphy were also recognized for their program leadership as Partners in Conservation.

Reclamation Reduces Colorado River Releases Below Davis Dam in Response to Central Arizona Project Canal Break

BOULDER CITY, Nev. - Beginning today and continuing through October 2012, Colorado River water releases from Davis Dam north of Laughlin, Nevada, will be uncharacteristically low due to reduced water demands downstream. The Bureau of Reclamation is also reducing releases from Hoover Dam creating flow conditions that are lower than usual for this time of year.

The reduced water releases will result in lower than normal river water levels throughout the Laughlin/Bullhead City area. While Colorado River levels in the area normally fluctuate, this reduction from Davis Dam will result in peak flows dropping from about a 4-unit flow or 19,000 cubic feet per second (cfs), to no higher than a 2-unit flow or 9,200 cfs. A 1-unit change in flow is equivalent to approximately 2 feet in the river’s depth below Davis Dam.

Boaters below Hoover and Davis Dams should exercise extra caution during this period of reduced river flows as sandbars, boulders and gravel will be exposed creating more hazardous river conditions.

The temporary reduction in water releases is necessary because of a break in the Central Arizona Project (CAP) canal near Bouse, Arizona, approximately 50 miles southeast of Lake Havasu City. While this part of the canal is out of service, Colorado River water deliveries are being temporarily halted. For additional information on the CAP canal break go to: http://www.cap-az.com/PublicInformation/PressReleases/tabid/284/ID/85/CAP-Canal-Breach-Floods-Highway.aspx .

Daily and hourly information on releases from the Bureau of Reclamation's Colorado River dams is available on Reclamation's web site at www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html under Current Conditions. For further information contact the Boulder Canyon Operations Office Water Control Center at 702-293-8373, or BCOOWaterops@usbr.gov.