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are guided by annual operating plans and a body of agreements made between the 

 various parties. Throughout the year, "users" of the river may request a spedRc 

 operation. For example, an operation might be requested to take advantage of a 

 profitable opportunity to sell power outside the Region, thereby reducing the cost of 

 power to Regional power users; or fisheries agencies n\ight request additional flows to 

 aid with providing optimal conditions for fish nms. Additional flows may be needed to 

 permit navigation, or even to get a barge off a sandbar. Rows may be reduced to assist 

 finding victims of drowning accidents. 



Once a request is made, the operators review the request to determine whether it is 

 consistent with the annual operating plans, whether it could have impacts on other 

 uses, and whether there would have to be any consultation with or between the affected 

 parties. The operators know who the other parties cire, and what their interests will be. 

 If the interests of other parties could be affected, the operators usually contact them for 

 a discussion of potential impacts prior to making decisions. For example, if there were 

 issues related to impacts on fisheries, the operators would call the Fish Passage Center 

 to discuss the request. 



Because of the time urgency of real-time operations, the operators must have the 

 authority to make the decisions. There may be questior\s to be resolved between the 

 parties after the decisions are made, but the operators will do the best they can to 

 coi\sult with directly affected parties within the time constraints. 



2.15 Monitoring 



Impacts resulting from decisions are continually monitored by the SOR lead agencies 

 and others. Most impacts are internal to the SOR lead agencies and between the SOR 



Final Draft - September 15, 1993 23 



