California and the Bureau of Reclamation have been offered a MILLION ACRE Feet of fresh water each year and they continue to proclaim that there is no solution to the drought dilemmas facing the region.

Maybe its time for the citizens of CA to ask the Bureau what it has done with the following offer to keep Lake Mead reasonably FULL and functioning as a reserve emergency supply for southern CA. This is only one option of the many available to CA.

Note: In the following communique to the Bureau, “I” had to make the request personally because no entity/agency/district was the least bit interested in any verification process or investigation so that the request could also come from others.

August 19, 2008

TO: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

FROM: Ray Walker, Retired Water Rights Analyst
waterrdw@yahoo.com

Subject: Lease of available space in Lake Mead

Attn: Robert Johnson, Commissioner
Robert Walsh, External Affairs Officer,Lower Colorado Region

I wish to deliver and properly measure up to ONE MILLION ACRE FEET of fresh water (EACH YEAR) to the Colorado River which is absolutely non-tributary to the Colorado River.

In order to solve the water shortage dilemmas facing the region, I wish to store said non-tributary water in Lake Mead on a space available basis.

Evaporation losses will be paid by subtracting off for any increase in evaporation losses due to the INCREASE in surface area of Lake Mead that will result. Using existing capacity tables, this will be simple to calculate.

I propose to pay for the lease with some of the increase in power generation due to the increase in head pressure as the non-tributary water accumulates.

Lake Mead produces on average 1800 megawatts of renewable energy each year.

Releases of the non-tributary water will be utilized to solve the environmental problems associated with the Colorado River Delta and the endangered species in the Lower Colorado River.

The additional amount of non-tributary water will be utilized to solve the domestic and agricultural requirements of the region, as needed.

I fully understand that in the event Lake Mead eventually fills and spills, my non-tributary water will be the first to spill. The water quality of the delivered non-tributary water, at all times, will match or exceed the water quality of existing water in Lake Mead.

I agree to make no claim for any aspect of the stored non-tributary water as it applies to the recreational activities on the surface of Lake Mead, but I will in no way be held liable for such recreational activities.

The definition of non-tributary water to the Colorado River (non-tributary water) means water that under no circumstances is part of any tributary or groundwater that would drain into or possibly be connected to or eventually ever reach any part of the Colorado River or any of its tributaries in any state.

The million acre feet of fresh water was offered to CA, all/any of its 450 water districts and the Bureau for their independent investigations and verifications by their own attorneys. Interest so far… “O”.