Laserfiche WebLink
<br />- <br />. ... <br /> <br />Gunnison Basin/Grand Valley <br />Water Forum Newsletter <br /> <br /> <br />Volume 1. Numlu.'r 2. <br /> <br />j.1nu.Jry :!(}():! <br /> <br />I-low .\IUe!1 Wlller Sl10uld Flow in tl1C <br />StrC,lI11S of our N<lIion("l1 Forcsts'? <br />. \ 111('( Ii I flOllp I w/ps JIIWSI pI< 1111 II TS Jill" II -'" ,I< Il 111/ I <br /> <br />Convened in the Spring of 2000, the Pathfinder <br />Project IS a local community-b.1sed group working <br />to assess the stream flow needs of the Grand Mesa. <br />Uncompahgre. and Gunnison (GMUG) National <br />Forests. Local participants include federal agencies. <br />state water man.lgcmcnt and fish and wildhfe agerr <br />(ies, local wJtcr users, Irrigation companies. conser- <br />vationists. recreationdl users, and others with an <br />interest in balancing healthy stream environments <br />with human water needs. <br /> <br />Th(' GMUG forest planners arr ourrf'ntly revising <br />their management plans. and are looking for guid- <br />ance from community-led groups such as the <br />Pathfinder Project. As part of management revi- <br />sions, the Forest IS attempting to develop stream <br />flow gUidelines that will prOVide sufficient water for <br />what they call ~f1ow dependent values~. Examples <br />of flow dependent values may include critical fish <br />habitat. wetlands. or water qu,1hty. Identifying the <br />type and extent of these flow dependent values has <br />been just one of the tasks set before the Pathfinder <br />Project, <br /> <br />In addItion. the <br />Pathfinder Project is <br />evaluating different <br />scientific methodolo- <br />gies used to measure <br />stream flows. compil- <br />ing a list of existing <br />water nghts. and <br />assessing all the <br />stream diversions In <br />the GMUG National <br />Forest. To test vari- <br />ous streamflow meas- <br />urement methodolo- <br />gies. as well as tech- <br />niques for assessing <br />flow dependent val- <br /> <br />'ColIbfllO <br /> <br />~rllndJurlCtion <br /> <br />~edgep~ <br />-' <br />""" . <br />"'.- <br /> <br />Monr05e <br /> <br />.N.... <br /> <br />N"",""" <br /> <br />Rld!l""'ay <br />0,.., <br />T~' <br /> <br />ues, Willow Creek watershed was selected as the <br />site of a pilot study. The 40,000 acre Willow Creek <br />watershed is tnbutary to the Taylor River which <br />flows Into Taylor Park Reservoir. In this watershed. <br />members of the Pathfinder team will be assessing <br />the extent of historic Irrigation diversions. status of <br />the State instream flow program and water rights <br />within Willow Creek, as well as c.1t.110gUlng the var~ <br />ious economIC and ffological values th.1t depend on <br />a certain level of water in the system. If successful. <br />this assessment methodology may be applied to the <br />entire GMUG forest. <br /> <br />The Forest Service is prOViding key technical infor- <br />mation for the project. and working regularly with <br />members of the Pathfinder Steenng Committee to <br />develop the best course of action for the project. <br />wWe are not looking to turn back the clock on 100 <br />ye.1rs of water development on the National <br />Forest:' says John Almy. GMUG Forest Hydrologist. <br />~In light of past experience. where potentially (on- <br />tfO\lersial issues have not been well received by the <br />public. the Forest Service <br />has found It better to <br />Involve people early on. so <br /> <br />GMUG NF <br /> <br />n"llillllt'd PI/St' 2 <br /> <br />Cr"'a::'8utta <br /> <br />\\'111"", Crl'I'k \\'Ill,',-~I,('d- <br />/ ~I/t" I~/ tI", l',lfhfmda <br />.,..- {'rtlll'd ~ r,lL'f ~tlld,1I <br /> <br />""", <br /> <br />""'l"'" <br /> <br />GunniSon . <br />. OhioC~' <br />....."'! <br /> <br />--- <br /> <br />H"IIl/d,IIVI,(CAIUC <br />.",/fi,m,l/ F(lrt'~1 <br /> <br />Lakl!.ClTy <br />