On September 11, 2008, and again on October 6, 2008, a written request was made to the Bureau of Reclamation to store up to one million acre feet ( 325,900,000,000 gallons) EACH YEAR in the unused air space in Lake Mead to keep Lake Mead reasonably full and generating 2000 megawatts of renewable energy from the taxpayer owned facility. The one million acre feet will be non-tributary to the Colorado River. Thus development and storage of the Source will not damage the water rights of anyone, anywhere. As needed, the one million acre feet of water would be under the care, custody and control of the Bureau to solve water shortage dilemmas in the region such as those associated with Las Vegas, Los Angeles, CA, NV, UT, San Diego, Mexicali and the Colorado River Delta. Evaporation losses would be calculated based on the increase in surface acreage created by the increased storage. The increase in power revenues from the increased head pressure would pay for the increase in measurements, monitoring and accounting to satisfy the Bureau and all signatory states of the Colorado River Compact. Ray Walker (Retired Water Rights Analyst) waterrdw@yahoo.com

The West needs limits on development and growth, that's all there is to it.

This comment shows why limits are needed. Speaking of the possible damage to the fish or its addition to the endangered species list:
'Water Authority spokesman J.C. Davis doesn't think it will be a deal-killer for his group's proposal'

Of course the Water Authority cannot prove that pumping that much groundwater will not affect the environment, but they're betting the regulators see it their way