Quarterly Status Report of Water Service and Repayment Contract Negotiations

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

Quarterly Status Report of Water Service and Repayment Contract

Negotiations

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of proposed contractual actions that

are new, modified, discontinued, or completed since the last

publication of this notice on August 8, 1996. The February 5, 1996,

notice should be used as a reference point to identify changes. The

number in parenthesis corresponds to the number in the February 5,

1996, notice. This notice is one means in which the public is informed

about contractual actions for capital recovery and management of

project resources and facilities. Additional Bureau of Reclamation

(Reclamation) announcements of individual contract actions may be

published in the Federal Register and in newspapers of general

circulation in the areas determined by Reclamation to be affected by

the proposed action. Announcements may be in the form of news releases,

legal notices, official letters, memorandums, or other forms of written

material. Meetings, workshops, and/or hearings may also be used, as

appropriate, to provide local publicity. The public participation

procedures do not apply to proposed contracts for sale of surplus or

interim irrigation water for a term of 1 year or less. Either of the

contracting parties may invite the public to observe any contract

proceedings. All public participation procedures will be coordinated

with those involved in complying with the National Environmental Policy

Act.

ADDRESSES: The identity of the approving officer and other information

pertaining to a specific contract proposal may be obtained by calling

or writing the appropriate regional office at the address and telephone

number given for each region in the supplementary information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alonzo Knapp, Manager, Reclamation

Law, Contracts, and Repayment Office, Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box

25007, Denver, Colorado 80225-0007; telephone 303-236-1061 extension

224.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 226 of the Reclamation

Reform Act of 1982 (96 Stat. 1273) and 43 CFR 426.20 of the rules and

regulations published in 52 FR 11954, Apr. 13, 1987, Reclamation will

publish notice of proposed or amendatory contract actions for any

contract for the delivery of project water for authorized uses in

newspapers of general circulation in the affected area at least 60 days

prior to contract execution. Pursuant to the ``Final Revised Public

Participation Procedures'' for water resource-related contract

negotiations, published in 47 FR 7763, Feb. 22, 1982, a tabulation is

provided of all proposed contractual actions in each of the five

Reclamation regions. Each proposed action is, or is expected to be, in

some stage of the contract negotiation process in 1996. When contract

negotiations are completed, and prior to execution, each proposed

contract form must be approved by the Secretary of the Interior or,

pursuant to delegated or redelegated authority, the Commissioner of

Reclamation or one of the regional directors. In some instances,

congressional review and approval of a report, water rate, or other

terms and conditions of the contract may be involved.

Public participation in and receipt of comments on contract

proposals will be facilitated by adherence to the following procedures:

1. Only persons authorized to act on behalf of the contracting

entities may negotiate the terms and conditions of a specific contract

proposal.

2. Advance notice of meetings or hearings will be furnished to

those parties that have made a timely written request for such notice

to the appropriate regional or area office of Reclamation.

3. Written correspondence regarding proposed contracts may be made

available to the general public pursuant to the terms and procedures of

the Freedom of Information Act (80 Stat. 383), as amended.

4. Written comments on a proposed contract or contract action must

be submitted to the appropriate regional officials at the locations and

within the time limits set forth in the advance public notices.

5. All written comments received and testimony presented at any

public hearings will be reviewed and summarized by the appropriate

regional office for use by the contract approving authority.

6. Copies of specific proposed contracts may be obtained from the

appropriate regional director or his designated public contact as they

become available for review and comment.

7. In the event modifications are made in the form of a proposed

contract, the appropriate regional director shall determine whether

republication of the notice and/or extension of the comment period is

necessary.

Factors considered in making such a determination shall include,

but are not limited to: (i) The significance of the modification, and

(ii) the degree of public interest which has been expressed over the

course of the negotiations. As a minimum, the regional director shall

furnish revised contracts to all parties who request the contract in

response to the initial public notice.

Acronym Definitions Used Herein

(BCP) Boulder Canyon Project

(CAP) Central Arizona Project

(CUP) Central Utah Project

(CVP) Central Valley Project

(CRSP) Colorado River Storage Project

(D&MC) Drainage and Minor Construction

(FR) Federal Register

(IDD) Irrigation and Drainage District

(ID) Irrigation District

(M&I) Municipal and Industrial

(O&M) Operation and Maintenance

(P-SMBP) Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program

(R&B) Rehabilitation and Betterment

(SRPA) Small Reclamation Projects Act

(WCUA) Water Conservation and Utilization Act

(WD) Water District

The following contract actions are either new, modified,

discontinued, or completed in the Bureau of Reclamation since the

August 8, 1996, Federal Register notice.

Pacific Northwest Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 1150 North Curtis

Road, Boise, Idaho 83706-1234, telephone 208-378-5346.

1. New Contract Actions:

(22) Okanogan Irrigation District, Okanogan Project, Washington:

Safety of Dams contract to repay District's share of cost to install an

Early Warning System.

(22) Rogue River Valley and Medford Irrigation Districts, Rogue

River Basin Project, Oregon: Safety of Dams contract to repay each

district's share of cost to repair Fish Lake Dam.

2. Completed Contract Actions:

(4) Amendatory contracts to conform to the RRA have been executed

with 10 of the 19 districts to conform to the Reclamation Reform Act of

1982 (Pub.L. 97-293). The districts that have executed contracts are:

American Falls Reservoir District Number 2, Burgess Canal Company,

Craig-Mattson Canal Company, Danskin Ditch Company, Farmers Friend

Irrigation Company, Ltd., Long Island Irrigation Company, Parks and

Lewisville Irrigation Company, Ltd, Peoples Canal and Irrigation

Company, Rigby Canal and Irrigation Company, and Rudy Irrigation Canal

Company, Ltd., all in the Minidoka Project, Idaho.

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(7) Contract has been executed for 1996 for Ochoco Dam.

(17) Fremont-Madison ID, Minidoka Project, Idaho-Wyoming:

Supplemental and amendatory contract providing for the transfer of

operation and maintenance for the remaining reserved works of the Upper

Snake Storage Division (including Cascade Creek Diversion Dam, Grassy

Lake Dam and Reservoir, and Island Park Dam and Reservoir). Contract

executed.

(19) Hermiston and West Extension Irrigation Districts, Umatilla

Project, Oregon: Temporary contracts to provide water service for 1996

to lands lying outside of their boundaries. A contract for 1996 has

been executed with Hermiston Irrigation District; no contract action

anticipated for West Extension in 1996.

3. Contract Actions Modified:

(12) City of Madras and North Unit Irrigation District, Deschutes

Project, Oregon: Temporary and long-term municipal water service

contracts for approximately 125 acre-feet annually from the project

water supply. A temporary contract for 1996 with the City of Madras and

a long-term contract with North Unit Irrigation District for provision

of the 125 acre-feet water supply to the City of Madras.

Mid Pacific Region: Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way,

Sacramento, California 95825-1898, telephone 916-979-2401.

1. New Contract Actions:

(21) Mercy Springs WD, CVP, California: Assignment of Mercy Springs

WDs water service contract to Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency.

The assignment will provide for delivery of up to 13,300 acre-feet

annually of water to the Agency from the CVP for agricultural purposes.

(22) Santa Clara WD, CVP, California: Agreement for the conditional

reallocation of a portion of Santa Clara Valley WDs annual CVP contract

water supply to San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority members. The

purpose of the conditional reallocation is to improve overall

management and establishment of more reliable water supplies without

imposing additional demands or operation changes upon the CVP.

2. Contract Actions Completed:

(15) City of Folsom, CVP, California: Amendment of existing water

rights conveyance contract to allow delivery of an additional 5,000

acre-feet of water from Folsom Reservoir that has been acquired from

the Southern California Water Company. ACTION: Amendment not required.

Transfer of 5,000 acre-feet of water from Folsom Reservoir accomplished

by Letter of Agreement.

3. Contract Actions Modified:

(5) Truckee Carson ID, Newlands Project, Nevada: New contract for

the operation and maintenance of Newlands Project facilities. The

United States terminated the original contract, and this was upheld by

the U.S. District Court in Nevada on August 17, 1983. Modification:

District has repaid its construction obligation.

Lower Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 61470 (Nevada

Highway and Park Street), Boulder City, Nevada 89006-1470, telephone

702-293-8536.

1. New contract actions:

(59) Santa Ana Project Watershed Authority (SAWPA), SRPA,

California: Amend current contract with the United States to shorten

repayment schedule from 30 years to 20 years.

(60) Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, SRPA, California:

Amend current contract with United States to transfer certain project

facilities and certain O&M responsibilities from District to City of

Lake Elsinore.

2. Contract action completed:

(10) W.F. West, BCP, California: Miscellaneous Present Perfected

Rights contract for 0.8774 acre-feet of domestic water. Contract

executed July 22, 1996.

(34) City of Scottsdale and other M&I water subcontractors, CAP,

Arizona: Subcontract amendments associated with assignment of M&I water

service subcontracts from City of Prescott, Rio Rico Utilities, Inc.,

and the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe to provide the City of Scottsdale

with additional CAP water. Contract executed September 27, 1996. (Note:

Other subcontracts listed in No. 34, i.e., Mayer Domestic Water

Improvement District, City of Nogales, and Cottonwood Water Works Inc.,

have not executed contracts to date.)

Upper Colorado Region: Bureau of Reclamation 125, South State

Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1102, telephone 801-524-

4419.

1. New contract actions:

(29) Pine River Irrigation District, Pine River Project, Colorado:

Contract to allow the conversion of up to 3,000 acre-feet of project

irrigation water to municipal, domestic, and industrial uses.

2. Contract actions modified:

(9) The National Park Service, Colorado Water Conservation Board,

Wayne N. Aspinall Unit, Colorado River Storage Project, Colorado:

Contract to provide specific flow patterns in the Gunnison River

through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument.

3. Contract actions discontinued:

(4) Navajo Indian Tribe, Animas-La Plata Project, New Mexico:

Repayment contract for 7,600 acre-feet per year for M&I use. No

activity expected until 1997.

(5) La Plata Conservancy District, Animas-La Plata Project, New

Mexico: Repayment contract for 9,900 acre-feet per year for irrigation

use. No activity expected until 1997.

(12) Collbran Conservancy District, Collbran Project, Colorado:

Amendatory contract defining priority of use of project water. No

activity expected in 1996.

(13) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, North Fork Water Conservancy

District, Paonia Project, Colorado: Contract for releases to support

endangered fish in the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers; water available

for releases will come from reserve capacity held by Reclamation as a

sediment pool, estimated to be 1,800 acre-feet annually; contract will

define the terms and conditions associated with delivery of this water.

No activity expected in 1996.

(14) Rio Grand Water Conservation District, Closed Basin Division,

San Luis Valley Project, Colorado: Water service contract for

furnishing priority 4 water to third parties; contract will allow

District to market priority water, when available, for agricultural,

municipal and/or industrial use. Discontinued for lack of interest.

Great Plains Region: Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 36900, Federal

Building, 316 North 26th Street, Billings, Montana 59197-6900,

telephone 406-247-7730.

1. New Contract Actions:

(24) Northwest Area Water Supply, North Dakota: Long-term contract

for water supply from Garrison Diversion Unit facilities.

(25) Fort Shaw and Greenfields Irrigation Districts, Sun River

Project, Montana: Contract for Safety of Dams costs for repairs to

Willow Creek Dam.

(26) Canyon Ferry Unit, P-SMBP, Montana: Water service contract

with Montana Tunnels Mining, Inc., expires June 1997. Renewal of

existing contract for an additional 5 years.

(27) Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, Kansas: Interim water

service contracts with the Kirwin and Webster IDs in the Solomon River

Basin, Kansas, to continue deliver of project water supply pending

completion of contract renewal process for long-term water supply

contracts.

(28) Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, Nebraska: Interim water

service contracts with the Loup Basin Reclamation District for the

Sargent and Farwell IDs in the Middle Loup River Basin, Nebraska, to

continue delivery of project water supplies pending

[[Page 55653]]

completion of contract renewal process for long-term water supply

contracts.

2. Contract Actions Modified:

(1) Lakeview Irrigation District, Shoshone Project, Wyoming: New

long-term water service contract for up to 3,200 acre-feet of firm

water supply annually and up to 11,800 acre-feet of interim water from

Buffalo Bill Reservoir. Pursuant to Section 9(c) of the Reclamation

Project Act of 1939 and Public Law 100-516.

(14) Bostwick ID in Nebraska and Kansas-Bostwick ID, Farwell and

Sargent IDs, Frenchman-Cambridge ID, Frenchman Valley ID, Webster ID,

and Kirwin ID, P-SMBP, Kansas and Nebraska: Extension of existing water

service contracts for irrigation water supplies, pursuant to Public Law

104-206.

(18) Angostura Irrigation District, Angostura Unit, P-SMBP, South

Dakota: The District's current contract for water service expired on

December 31, 1995. An interim 3-year contract provides for the District

to operate and maintain the dam and reservoir. The proposed contract

would provide a continued water supply for the District and the

District's continued operation and maintenance of the facility.

3. Contract Actions Discontinued:

(6) Corn Creek Irrigation District, Glendo Unit, P-SMBP, Wyoming:

Repayment contract for 10,350 acre-feet of supplemental irrigation

water from Glendo Reservoir pending completion of NEPA review. NEPA

compliance on hold.

(19) Shadehill Water User District, Shadehill Unit, P-SMBP, South

Dakota: Water service contract expired June 10, 1995. The proposed

contract would provide irrigation water to the District pursuant to

terms acceptable to both the United States and the District. No action

expected in 1996.

4. Contract Actions Completed:

(21) Belle Fourche Irrigation District, Belle Fourche Unit, P-SMBP,

South Dakota: D&MC contract for rehabilitation work on water control

structures, lining additional canals, and rehabilitation of bridges and

laterals. Public Law 103-434, enacted October 31, 1994, authorized an

additional $10.5 million in Federal funds and $4 million in non-Federal

cost share for completion of minor construction.

Dated: October 18, 1996.

Wayne O. Deason,

Deputy Director, Program Analysis Office.

[FR Doc. 96-27546 Filed 10-25-96; 8:45 am]

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