The Upper Division States cannot speak directly to the contents of Reclamation’s matrix of potential alternatives at this time. We need more information before we can fully analyze the identified alternatives. We look forward to better understanding the concepts identified by Reclamation.
The Upper Division States continue to stand firmly behind the concepts embodied in the Upper Division States’ Alternative, which performs best according to Reclamation’s own modeling and directly meets the purpose and need of the federal action. Any acceptable alternative will need to be supply-driven and adapt uses to the River we have, not the River some want. A preferred alternative must be designed to help rebuild storage at our nation’s two largest reservoirs. It will need to protect Lake Powell and Reclamation’s continued ability to release water downstream and help the Upper Division States continue to meet our obligations and responsibilities to our water users, the environment and the Colorado River system, while protecting our significant rights and interests in the Colorado River. We look forward to continuing to work with the federal government, the Lower Division States, and the Tribal Nations to achieve sustainable management of Lake Powell and Lake Mead.