WSP12164

• File Number: 8240.200.10.B
• Description: UCRBRIP General Publications
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 3/1/1988
• Author: USFWS
• Title: Priority Reaches for Investigating Water Rights Acquisition in the Upper Colorado River Basin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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Priority Reaches for Investigating Water Rights Acquisition
in the
Upper Colorado River Basin

by

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 6
March I, 1988

Three river reaches in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) were prioritized
for the investigation of the expenditure of funds proposed under the Recovery
Program (FWS, 1987a) to acquire water rights to legally protect the instream
flow needs of the rare Colorado River fishes (i.e., the Colorado squawfish,
humpback chub, bony tail chub, and razorback sucker). The following reaches of
occupied endangered fish habitat were evaluated (Figure 1):

o Yampa River (RM 0 - 140)
o Colorado River (RM 170 - 185)
o White River (RM 0 - 156)

The Service believes that maintenance and protection of instream flows in all
of these reaches is important to the recovery of the rare Colorado River
fishes. Priorities are provided only to identify those river reaches where
the Recovery Implementation Committee should focus its time and resources to
ensure provision of instream flows for the four rare fish species through the
acquisition of water rights.

Each river reach was evaluated according to two criteria:

I. BioloGical SiGnificance of the Reach: This criteria focused on the
biological importance of the reach to the recovery of the Colorado
squawfish, humpback chub, razorback sucker and bony tail chub.

2. TiminG of Water Development: This criteria addressed the timing of
water development and other activities that may alter the quality or
quantity of available habitat in the above reaches.

The evaluation and prioritization of these reaches also was predicated on
several considerations or assumptions:

1. Adequate funds will be available to acquire water rights of
sufficient yield and priority to protect the instream flow needs of
the species/life stage of concern.

2. The instream flow needs of the endangered fishes in the mainstem
Green River below the confluence of the Yampa River and in the
mainstem Colorado River below the confluence of the Gunnison River
would be addressed initially through the Section 7 consultations on
Blue Mesa and Flaming Gorge reservoirs.

Consequently, the following reaches, which are vitally important to
the recovery and survival of the Colorado River endangered fishes,
were not evaluated in this initial prioritization:

I