WSP11463

• File Number: 8200.760
• Description: Yampa General Publications - Correspondence - Reports
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 7/20/1999
• Author: Ayres Associates
• Title: Yampa River Issues 1999 - Water Management Requirements for the Yampa River Basin - Draft Synthesis Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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1. INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes studies and investigations of water demand and water supply
requirements for future human and wildlife uses in the Yampa River Basin, Numerous study
and research reports have been written over the past ten years, This report attempts to
synthesize all of this material into a summary document to assist in making decisions related to
future water management in the Yampa River Basin,

The report summarizes information and provides references to detailed reports on subjects of
water demand, flow requirements for endangered fish species, and summaries of simulations
of various water supply scenarios for meeting these multiple demands. In addition to this
introductory chapter, this report has seven additional chapters as follows:

2. BACKGROUND, This chapter provides a brief description of the basin hydrologic
'and water management setting of the basin, providing an overview of the water
planning process that has occurred over the past ten years,

3. ENDANGERED FISH REQUIREMENTS. The summary of research and studies,
related to endangered species recovery is presented, discussing the resulting
recommendations for instream flows and aquatic management.

4. FUTURE WATER DEMANDS, Future water demands to support human use are
estimated for the next 50 years,

5. EVALUATION OF FUTURE FLOWS. Knowing water needs for both human
demand and aquatic habitat, the report then discusses results of hydrologic simulation
of the basin to meet both water needs in the future.

6. YAMPA WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, The results of the demand studies for
human and aquatic needs concluded that management of the Yampa River Basin
water supplies will be necessary in the future, This section describes the approaches
considered for development of a management plan for the basin.

7. ISSUES AND DIRECTION. The final section of the report highlights issues the
Yampa Management Team needs to address before the planning process continues,

8. REFERENCES A list of primary references used in the development of this
document are included, These documents provide detailed information for the reader
on each subject and include additional secondary references.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 Overview of Basin Hydrology and Water Uses

The headwaters of the Yampa River originate on the eastern edge of the White River Plateau
in north central Colorado, Numerous small tributaries drain adjoining areas of the plateau and
the western slopes of the Sierra Madre, Park, and Gore Ranges and feed into the Yampa
River (Figure 1), In the upper reaches, the Yampa is a high gradient mountain stream flowing
through narrow mountain canyons, After emerging from the foothills south of Steamboat

Draft 07/28/99

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Ayres Associates