(1) ALL ALTERNATIVES REQUIRE 1.5 MAF STORAGE SPACE ON 1 AUG. 19,28,35,50,73 (2) SPACE BUILDING OPERATIONS BEGIN ON 1 AUGUST FOR ALL ALTERNATIVES (3) BAL = BALANCED STATEMENT OF ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES YUMA, ARIZONA MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, MY NAME IS WES STEINER, I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES. AMONG THE DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITIES THAT RELATE TO THE SUBJECT OF THIS HEARING ARE FURTHERANCE OF THE STATE'S INTERESTS IN THE COLORADO RIVER, WATER SUPPLY PLANNING AND ALLOCATION, FLOOD CONTROL PLANNING, ADMINISTRATION OF STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS, FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION OF THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM. DEPARTMENT STAFF WITH EXPERTISE IN FLOOD CONTROL OPERATIONS AND THE "LAW OF THE RIVER" HAVE REVIEWED STORM AND RUNOFF DATA FOR THE CURRENT WATER YEAR, THE CRITERIA THAT GOVERN OPERATIONS OF THE MAJOR DAMS ON THE COLORADO RIVER AND THEIR ACTUAL OPERATION AND HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE BUREAU'S PERFORMANCE WAS EXEMPLARY AND DESERVING OF HIGH PRAISE, ESPECIALLY FROM THOSE WHO RESIDE OR DO BUSINESS IN THE FLOODWAY DOWNSTREAM FROM THESE STRUCTURES. PRESENTED BY: WESLEY E. STEINER, DIRECTOR ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES STATEMENT -2 SEPTEMBER 7, 1983 THE RELEASE PATTERN FROM HOOVER DAM. AND THE STRUCTURES DOWNSTREAM COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SEVERE. AS WE INTERPRET THE CORPS' MANUAL, THE FLOOD CONTROL CRITERIA ESTABLISHED FOR HOOVER DAM CALLED FOR A RELEASE OF 73,000 CFS UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT PREVAILED. THE BUREAU THROUGH THE EXERCISE OF CONSIDERABLE INGENUITY IN INSTALLING FLASHBOARDS ON THE GATES AT GLEN CANYON AND THROUGH ITS WILLINGNESS TO ASSUME THE RISK THAT HIGH PRECIPITATION FROM SUMMER STORMS WOULD NOT OCCUR AS THE SNOW MELT WAS BEING CAREFULLY ROUTED THROUGH THE SYSTEM, WAS ABLE TO KEEP MAXIMUM RELEASES TO 44,000 CFS. WE ARE ALSO CONVINCED THAT HAD THE BUREAU INITIATED HIGHER RELEASES EARLIER - AND WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE INITIATION STATEMENT -3 SEPTEMBER 7, 1983 PLAIN SO THAT NECESSARY RELEASES DO NOT RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT GENERAL TANGUY, THE DIRECTOR OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF RELEASES FOUND NECESSARY IN THE INTEREST OF FLOOD CONTROL. HERE, I BELIEVE THAT WE MUST DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO REMOVE ALL DEVELOPMENT FROM THE DESIGN FLOODWAY THAT IS SUBJECT EFFECTIVE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM ARE ESSENTIAL TO CONTROL OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE FLOODPLAIN AND ARE HIGH PRIORITY ISSUES IN ARIZONA. OUT OF 85 COMMUNITIES IN ARIZONA IDENTIFIED AS HAVING AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING, ONLY ONE IS CURRENTLY NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM AND THAT COMMUNITY IS NOT LOCATED ON THE COLORADO RIVER. WE FEEL THAT COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY COLORADO RIVER FLOODING HAVE INDICATED A WILLINGNESS TO CONTROL UNWISE DEVELOPMENT IN THE FLOODPLAIN. HOWEVER, ADEQUATE FLOODPLAIN MAPS OF THE COLORADO RIVER ARE GENERALLY NOT AVAILABLE. |