Reclamation and Hoover Dam
It’s All About The Water
The Bureau of Reclamation
Created by Congress in 1902 (Reclamation Act)
Historic Mission: Develop water projects to “reclaim”
arid western lands for irrigated farming.
The concept of “homemaking” was integral to
Reclamation’s early projects, i.e., homes would be
made for settlers on new, irrigated farms.
Mission now expanded to include water development
for municipal and industrial use, flood control,
generation of hydroelectric power, and recreation
Reclamation Regions
The Colorado River Basin
Reclamation Is The Largest Water Resource
Management Agency In The Western U.S.
348 reservoirs in 17 western states
30 million acre-feet delivered annually
Serve water to:
•One-third of the West’s irrigated agriculture
•More than 31 million people
90 million visitors
Water Conversion Terms
1 acre-foot (af) of water is enough to cover one acre of
land one foot deep. 1 acre = .004 square km
1 af of water = 43,560 cubic feet = 325,900 gallons
1 af of water = 1.233 million liters = 1.233 megaliters
We deliver annually:
9.5 MAF = 117,135,000 megaliters
Lower Colorado Region
Reclamation involved in
what is now the Region
since 1903 with the
authorization of the Salt
River Project.
Area Offices:
Phoenix and Yuma, AZ
Temecula, CA
Lower Colorado Dams
Office (Hoover)
Hoover Dam
Lower Colorado Region
Major Facilities
Davis Dam
• Lake Mead – Hoover Dam
– Storage capacity of 28.5 maf
– Generation capacity of 2079
MW
Lake Mead
Lake Mohave
Parker Dam
• Lake Mohave – Davis Dam
– Storage capacity 1.8 maf
– Generation capacity 48 MW
• Lake Havasu – Parker Dam
– Storage capacity 646,000 af
– Generation capacity 120 MW
Lake Havasu
Why was the Hoover Dam
built?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Flood Control
Water Delivery
Energy production
Recreation
Deliver 9 MAF of water
annually for California,
Arizona, Nevada and Mexico
• Municipal water for 23
million people and 2.5
million acres of ag
• Power – Could Produce 4.2
billion kWh annually
Hoover Dam
• Flood Control – Dams have
prevented $ 1.1 billion in
damage since 1950
Lower Colorado River Laws
1928 - December 21st the Boulder Canyon Project Act
is signed; becomes effective June 1929. Authorized
spending of $165,000,000 to build Boulder Dam and
the All American Canal.
Main purpose was flood control, followed by improved
navigation, irrigation, municipal and industrial usage,
and the generation of electricity.
1929 - Six of seven basin states approve Colorado
River Compact. 7.5 MAF each to Upper and Lower
Colorado River Basin.
Boulder Canyon Project Act of 1928
Ratified the Colorado River Compact
Made the Secretary of the Interior ‘Watermaster’
California = 4.4 MAF Annually
Arizona = 2.8 MAF Annually
⃰ Nevada = 300,000 AF Annual
(Population of Nevada in 1928 was 8000)
1 Acre-Foot = 1 acre (.004 km) that is
1 foot (.3 mtrs) deep in water.
(1.233 megaliters)
Filling Lake Mead
• Dam starts to impound water on
February 1, 1935.
• Last concrete is placed on top
of dam on May 29, 1935. (Two
years after start on June 6,
1933)
• 1936 – The first generator to go
online is N2 on October 26th.
Other generators follow in
November (N4) and December
(N1).
Colorado River Management Objectives
• Provide
flood control and river regulation
• Provide water for consumptive use
• Generate hydropower
.
Colorado River Management Objectives
•Provide recreation for over 1 million visitors
annually
Colorado River Management Objectives
• Enhance and maintain ecosystem habitat
• Recover and protect endangered species
Lower Colorado River Multi-Species
Conservation Program
COLORADO RIVER ISSUES
Water Supply
Drought - 2000-2014
driest 15-year period in
100 years of record
keeping
•Powell and Mead both
affected
•Lower Basin Shortage?
•Hoover Power?
Colorado River Basin Storage
(as of April 5, 2015)
Current Storage
Percent
Full
MAF
Elevation
(Feet)
Lake Powell
45%
10.99
3,592
Lake Mead
38%
10.02
1,080
Total System
Storage*
48%
28.71
NA
*Total system storage was 28.79 maf or 49% this time last year
Water Year Snowpack and Precipitation
as of April 4, 2016
Colorado River
Basin above Lake
Powell
Colorado River Basin Above Lake Powell
20
125
PAST FUTURE
18
100
14
12
75
10
8
50
6
4
25
2
Current Snowpack
95% of median
0
1-Oct
0
1-Nov
1-Dec
1-Jan
1-Feb
Median: WY 1981 - 2010
1-Mar
1-Apr
1-May
Previous Water Year: 2015
1-Jun
1-Jul
1-Aug
1-Sep
Current Water Year: 2016
Percent Of Seasonal Median
Water Year 2016
Precipitation
(year-to-date)
94% of average
Snow Water Equivalent (inches)
16
State of the System (Water Years 1999-2015)1
50
100%
45
90%
40
80%
35
70%
30
60%
25
50%
20
40%
15
30%
139%
109%
102%
71%
96%
73%
70%
66%
52% 49%
45%
25%
2015
2014
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
0%
2003
2001
2000
1999
0
10%
47%
2013
62% 59%
20%
88%
2012
5
104%
2002
10
Percent Capacity
Volume in MAF
Unregulated Inflow into Lake Powell
Powell-Mead Storage and Percent Capacity
End of Water Year
Powell and Mead Storage (MAF)
2
Unregulated Inflow into Powell (MAF)
Powell and Mead Percent Capacity
1Values
for water year 2015 are projected. Unregulated inflow is based on the latest CBRFC forecast dated April 2, 2015. Storage and percent capacity are
based on the March 2015 24-Month Study.
2Percentages
at the top of the light blue bars represent percent of average unregulated inflow into Lake Powell for a given water year. Water years 19992011 are based on the 30-year average from 1971 to 2000. Water years 2012-2015 are based on the 30-year average from 1981-2010.
1,219.6 ft
Lake Mead Capacity
26.1 maf
Surplus Conditions
137 ft
16.2 maf
1,145 ft
Normal or ICS Surplus Conditions
1,083 ft
33 ft
1,075 ft
10.23 maf
(39% of Live
Capacity)
Shortage Conditions
Min Power
Pool
1,050 ft
Inactive Pool (7.7 maf)
1,000 ft
Lower SNWA Intake
895 ft
Dead Pool Elevation
Dead Pool (2.5 maf)
Not to scale
As of Apr 12, 2015
Current Conditions
• Currently at 95% of average snowpack
• Forecast 8.23 to 9 maf release of water
from Lake Powell to Lake Mead in 2015
• Lake Mead down 135 feet (31.15 mtrs)
• Will drop an additional 12 feet in 2016
• 0 % chance of AZ, NV shortage in 2016
• 37% chance of shortage in 2017
Lower Basin Surplus & Shortage through 2026
1 Reservoir
initial conditions based on the observed levels on December 31,
2014.
2 Hydrologic inflow traces based on resampling of the observed natural flow
record from 1906-2010.
Opportunities:
Conservation
Water re-use and recycling
Desalinization
International cooperation
Questions?
USBR - Lower Colorado Region
www.usbr.gov/lc
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