The Colorado River Board of California has developed "California’s Colorado River Water Use Plan." The overall purpose of this May 2000 plan is to provide California's Colorado River water users with a framework by which programs, projects, and other activities will be coordinated and implemented cooperatively. The framework specifies how California will transition and live within its basic apportionment of Colorado River water when necessary. Its aim to reduce California’s reliance on Colorado River water. California would divert its basic apportionment when surplus water is unavailable.

The plan's framework encompassed and relied heavily on:

• further quantification of California agencies’ right and use of Colorado River water where helpful to facilitate the optimum use of California’s Colorado River resources;
• cooperative core water supply programs and voluntary transfers;
• increased efficiencies in water conveyance and use;
• water storage and conjunctive use programs to increase normal and dry year water supplies;
• water exchanges;
• administrative actions necessary for effective use and management of water supplies;
• improved reservoir management and operations;
• drought and surplus water management plans;
• coordinated project operations for increased water supply yield;
• groundwater management; and
• Colorado River salinity control and watershed protection.

Other key associated resource management concepts discussed in the Plan that the agencies have pursued include:

• lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program;
• water demand management (seasonal shift in deliveries, water scheduling changes, peaking modification, etc.);
• additional water conservation;
• groundwater and surface water recovery;
• interstate offstream water banking;
• additional local projects;
• water reuse; and
• other voluntary water transfers and water purchases.

The California Plan includes the following existing and proposed programs:

conservation in the Imperial Valley;

a water transfer between the Imperial Irrigation District and the San Diego County Water Authority and a water exchange between Metropolitan and San Diego County Water Authority;

recovery of seepage from the All American and Coachella canals;

storage of water in groundwater basins along the Colorado River Aqueduct, in the Coachella Valley and possibly in Arizona;

and periodic arrangements to fallow land.

 

It also addresses the manner in which 16,000 acre-feet of water will be made available annually to facilitate implementation of the San Luis Rey Indian Water Rights Settlement.