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Approving the Agreement between the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation and the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority for Storage of San Juan-Chama Project Water in Elephant Butte Reservoir
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The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (Water Authority) has had a contract with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) for storage of San Juan-Chama water since the original agreement in 1986. The original 1986 Storage agreement has expired and a new agreement was needed following the completion of required environmental analysis for storage of San Juan-Chama water in Elephant Butte Reservoir.
This agreement provides the Water Authority the ability to store up to 50,000 acre-feet of San Juan-Chama water in Elephant Butte Reservoir for up to 40-years. The need for additional long-term storage is a key to providing the Water Authority and others flexibility in water operations in the Middle Rio Grande. In addition, this long-term storage agreement was called for in Policy I.6 of the Water Authority’s adopted 100-year water plan entitled Water 2120.
When the Water Authority’s San Juan-Chama water is stored in Elephant Butte, the water can be used to offset depletions associated with the Water Authority’s pumping, offset diversion during flood operations and can be exchanged upstream when conditions are appropriate for an exchange.
Fiscal Impact:
The Water Authority is required to pay for the increased cost of operations and accounting that will be incurred by the USBR when Water Authority stores San Juan-Chama water in Elephant Butte.