WATER RIGHTS AND ENDANGERED FISH FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR FLOWS UTAH DIVISION OF WATER RIGHTS

MATT LINDON, PE ASSISTANT STATE ENGINEER TECHNICAL SERVICES

Current Utah Green River Policy  Surface Water - Groundwater Appropriations –Limited to fixed time and Temporary app –Non Consumptive use –Small Domestic only  1 family  1 acre irrigation  10 livestock units –Change Applications  Colorado River Compact 1922 and 1948 –UT % of Upper Basin Flow Hydro M ac-ft/yr –At least 7.5 M ac-ft delivered to Lake Powell per yr

Bonytai Colorado pikemnnow Razorback sucker Humpback chub Bonytail

History of the Recovery Program  Mid to late 1970s –Jeopardy –Upper Colorado River Basin  1983 –Minimum stream flows –one-for-one replacement  stopped water development in the basin  put limits on use of existing water supplies  conflicted with existing federal and state laws that allocate water –“Head-on collision”

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Park Service U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Western Area Power Administration State of Colorado Water Users State of Utah Environmental groups State of Wyoming Colorado River Energy Distributors Association Partnership

PARTNERSHIP HISTORY  1988 Federal Co-op Commitment signed –States of Utah, Wyoming, Colorado –Dept of Interior – USFWS, BOR –Western Area Power Administration  Initiated Recovery Implementation Program – RIP –Endangered Fish Recovery Program – 4 fish  Bonytail, Pikeminnow, Humpback Chub, Razorback Sucker –Respect States Compact Entitlements –Respect State Water Rights –Renewed support last week from the Governor

Biological Opinion Recovery Action Plan (RAP)  US Fish and Wildlife Service,  November , BOR, CO and UT  Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPA) –Refine Flaming Gorge operation for flows and temps –Legally protect fish flows from FG to Lake Powell –Recommend Summer and Fall flows –5 year study for Winter and Spring flows –Respect State law and policies –Avoid ESA Section 7 Consultation and Jeopardy

Utah Policy Change – Nov 1994 Upper Green River State Engineer Bob Morgan – Considered –Existing Water Rights 429 cfs, 112,000 ac-ft –Hydrology of River – FG, Yampa, tributaries –Interstate Compacts (1.4 M ac-ft for Utah) –Summer and Fall Flows only –Existing Flow BO recommendations 1992 –Availability of Water 3.0 M

Vernal Price Green River Moab Escalante Monticello Upper Colorado River Basin Ave Annual Flow Flows = Million Ac-Ft/Year 1 Million Ac-Ft/Year = 1384 cfs Green = Intra State Flows Red = Inter State Flows

Upper Green River Policy 1994  New WR Approvals –Subordinate to bypass of fish flows –Summer and Fall –Flows protected from FG to the Duchesne –1100 – 1800 cfs – 2400 cfs in wet years  20 cfs set aside for contingency future needs  Rights prior to Nov 1994 not Subordinate  Review Release and RIPRAP for changes  Measure all flows at Jensen UT

2000 Flow Recommendations  Endangered Fish Recovery Program  Results of study –3 sections of river to Lake Powell –4 season flow recommendations –5 Hydrologic regimes flood – drought –Flows and temperatures from FG  RIPRAP element for 2004 Action Plan  Continued research and calibration  Adaptive Management

Reach 1 Reach 2 Reach 3

Proposed Flow Protection Ideas  Protect Minimum flows for 4 seasons –800 cfs Reach 1 and 2 – FG to the White –1300 cfs Reach 3 – Duchesne to Lake Powell –Currently meeting these goals w/ existing opp  New Applications subject to minimum flow –BO minimum flow ranges and regimes ?? –BO spring peak flows ?? –Flows set aside for contingency future needs?? –Limit Storage to allow for natural spring flows?? –Limit movement of Water Rights Upstream??  Instream fish flow Water Rights Law limited to –Changes of Perfected Water Right –Div of Wildlife, Parks and Fish Conservation Org.

ISSUES TO ADDRESS  Cooperation with RAP Partnership –Extend Fish Flow protection to Lake Powell –2 policy changes Upper and Lower river  Agreement with the Biological Opinion -RPA –3 river reaches –4 seasons –5 hydrological regimes and ranges  Coordination with the RIP  Compliance with the ESA  Avoid Jeopardy and Section 7 consultation  Allow for fish flows and water development

THE END – THANK YOU !

DIVISION OF WATER RIGHTS WEST, NORTH TEMPLE PO , SLC, UT,