Intentionally Created Surplus

Intentionally Created Surplus (ICS), a new type of surplus water, was created by the Colorado River Interim Guidelines for Lower Basin Shortages and Coordinated Operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead in December 2007. There are four ICS categories:

Tributary Conservation: Allows a water user to fallow water rights in tributaries of the Colorado River that were in use prior to the effective date of the 1928 Boulder Canyon Project Act and transport this water to the Colorado River for credit.

Imported ICS: Allows a Colorado River contract holder to convey non-Colorado River water to the Colorado River for credit.

System Efficiency: Allows a user to fund a system efficiency project that would conserve Colorado River water. The project must increase the amount of water available in the United States and a portion of the saved water would be credited to the user funding the project.

Extraordinary Conservation: Allows a water user to implement a project, such as land fallowing or canal lining, to conserve water through extraordinary measures which would increase Lake Mead levels.

SNWA ICS

Intentionally Created Surplus will allow the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) to develop some water resources that were formerly identified as "in-state water" by conveying them to the Colorado River and receive credits.

If this water is not used in the year it is created, it converts to extraordinary conservation ICS credits, which can be used like a bank account and can be stored in Lake Mead for multiple years. SNWA can accumulate up to 300,000 acre feet of credits in Lake Mead for future use.

SNWA currently has three ICS projects moving forward:

1. Coyote Spring Valley Groundwater
2. Virgin and Muddy Rivers Tributary Conservation ICS
3. Drop 2 Reservoir System Efficiency ICS Project