Water Exchanges. 2.1 Article 56(f) will be revised to include language permitting consideration of hydrology under a bona fide exchange and will include the following criteria for return ratios: For SWP allocations >= 50%, return ratio is up to 2: 1 For SWP allocations > 25 and < 50%, return ratio is up to 3: 1 For SWP allocations >15% and <=25%, return ratio is up to 4: 1 For SWP allocations <=15%, return ratio is up to 5:1
Water Exchanges. Finally, the states’ proposal allows Colorado River users in the Lower Basin to secure additional water supplies by funding the development of a non-Colorado River System water supply in one state for use in another state by exchange. The new water supply would be used in place of the Colorado River water supply, allowing the user that provided the funding to use the Colorado River water that is no longer used through and agreement with the Secretary of the Interior. The states’ proposal expressly contemplates exchanges with Mexico, albeit only unilateral exchanges in which non-Colorado River System supplies would be developed in Mexico, with the savings used in the United States. • How it could work in Mexico: This program could be extended to a bilateral program in which water could be exchanged in either direction, with exchanges resulting in commensurate increases or decreases in Treaty deliveries (indeed, it is unclear why Mexico would agree to a purely unilateral program as proposed by the states).
Water Exchanges. Water exchanges may be done in certain reaches where additional stream flow can be diverted in lieu of a cold water source. The act of diverting additional water at a point of diversion must not impact flow requirements past that point of diversion or any downstream point. These exchanges must be monitored sufficiently to document that the exchanges are of equal amounts (stream diversion to spring water) to ensure dewatering of the channel is not occurring.
