The project is needed to comply with the 2006-2016 Biological Opinion for the Carlsbad Project Water Operations and Water Supply Conservation Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), June 2006. The Biological Opinion and EIS commit Reclamation to operate the Carlsbad Project with a target flow of 35 cubic feet per second (cfs) at the Taiban Gage and to keep the river continuous in order to conserve the federally protected Pecos bluntnose shiner. The purpose of the project is to provide adequate water to keep the river continuous, meet the contracted irrigation needs of the Carlsbad Project, avoid hindering New Mexico delivery requirements to Texas, and to establish partnerships in the basin.

The Bureau of Reclamation is proposing to obtain supplemental water to provide the operational ability to release approximately 2,500 acre-feet of water out of Sumner Lake per year to keep the river continuous, while also ensuring that there is enough water at Brantley Reservoir to meet the contracted irrigation needs of the Carlsbad Project. A variety of supplemental water sources may be required to meet this goal.