Oklahoma v. New Mexico, 510 U.S. 126, 4 (1993)

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Cite as: 510 U. S. 126 (1993)

Decree

an appropriate portion of such storage from chargeability as conservation storage.

4. Water stored at elevations below a dam's lowest permanent outlet works is not chargeable as conservation storage under the Compact unless the primary use of that storage is for a nonexempt purpose, or unless other means, such as pumps, are utilized to discharge such storage volumes from the reservoir. No change in the location of a dam's lowest permanent outlet works to a higher elevation shall provide the basis for a claim of exempt status for all water stored below the relocated outlet works without prior approval of the Commission, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. Water stored for nonexempt purposes behind a dam with capacity in excess of 100 acre-feet and with no outlet works is chargeable as conservation storage.

5. Future designation or redesignation of storage volumes for flood control, power production, or sediment control purposes must receive prior Commission approval to be exempt from chargeability as conservation storage, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.

6. All water stored in Ute Reservoir above elevation 3,725 feet is conservation storage; provided that at such time as the authorization and funding of the Eastern New Mexico Water Supply Project or other project results in changed circumstances at Ute Reservoir, New Mexico may seek exemption of a reasonable portion of such water from the Commission under Paragraph 5 of this Decree and, if an exemption is denied, may petition the Court for appropriate relief under Paragraph 11 of this Decree.

7. In 1988 there were 63 small reservoirs in New Mexico with capacities of 100 acre-feet or less with a total capacity of about 1,000 acre-feet, which the Commission has treated as de minimis by waiving storage volume reporting obligations. Water stored in these reservoirs or in similarly sized reservoirs in the future is not chargeable as conservation storage, unless otherwise determined by the Commission.

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