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<br />Section 8 <br />Options for the North Platte Basin <br /> <br />8.5 Environmental and <br /> <br />Recreational Options <br /> <br />Colorado's current and future environmental and <br />recreational water needs bring a unique set of issues to <br />water management As highlighted in Section 6.1.3, a <br />number of new and innovative approaches to meeting <br />environmental and recreational needs and moving from <br />mitigation to enhancement were discussed through the <br />course of SWSI and the SWSI Basin Roundtable <br />Technical Meetings. However, to date, there is no single <br />agreed upon approach or set of criteria, other than the <br />CWCB instream flow program, for prioritizing stream <br />reaches for environmental and recreational enhancement <br />or setting associated flow goals. <br /> <br />Section 6 also provided background on existing flow <br />goals and key programs geared toward meeting <br />environmental and recreational flows on major rivers and <br />tributaries in each basin. Many of the identified flow goals <br />do not have an associated Identified Project or Process <br />to meet the goals, though some Identified Projects and <br />Processes meet multiple goals that can include <br />environmental and recreational benefits. <br /> <br />Looking ahead, SWSI sought to further identify <br />approaches and possible new projects or management <br />strategies - many of which are stand-alone, many of <br />which could potentially be integrated into multi- <br />beneficiary projects - that could be used to address <br />environmental and recreational water needs. In this <br />section, the key concepts guiding the development of <br />future environmental and recreational "options" are <br />discussed along with some potential statewide <br />approaches to environmental and recreational flow <br />enhancement Section 8.6 presents a discussion of <br />specific M&I, agricultural, and environmental and <br />recreational options that could be used to meet future <br />needs. <br /> <br />8.5.1 Overview of Environmental and <br /> <br />Recreational Options <br /> <br />The primary objectives of the environmental and <br />recreational options compiled and discussed in SWSI are <br />to provide flow and/or habitat enhancement of surface <br />water features - both streams and lakes. Specifically, <br />environmental and recreational options may provide for <br />enhancement of: <br /> <br />S:\1177\BASIN REPORTS\NORTH PLATTElSB_NORTH PLATTE. DOC <br /> <br />. Fish habitat <br />. Endangered species habitat <br />. Aquatic recreation <br />. Water quality <br />. Wetlands <br />. Riparian corridors <br />Some key characteristics and features of these types of <br />options are: <br /> <br />1. Environmental and recreational options are not <br />intended to merely provide mitigation of the impacts <br />of other water supply projects. Mitigation of <br />environmental impacts of new projects is required by <br />law and is already a critical component of project <br />planning. Mitigation is performed to offset potentially <br />deleterious impacts of these projects. Environmental <br />and recreational options, on the other hand, are <br />meant to provide enhancement of resources. As an <br />example, replacing wetlands impacted by a new <br />water supply pipeline is considered environmental <br />mitigation rather than an environmental and <br />recreational option. <br /> <br />2. Environmental and recreational options may be <br />stand-alone projects or may be integrated into other <br />water supply projects (e.g., M&I or agricultural). <br /> <br />3. Environmental and recreational options are to be <br />implemented consistent with state water law and <br />interstate compacts. <br /> <br />4. Environmental and recreational options are subject to <br />NEPA, Clean Water Act (CWA), ESA, and other <br />applicable laws with respect to mitigating unintended <br />adverse impacts of the options. <br /> <br />8.5.2 Existing Statewide Environmental <br /> <br />and Recreational Options <br /> <br />The CWCB has an existing program for appropriating, <br />acquiring, and protecting instream flow water rights and <br />natural lake levels. This stream and lake protection <br />program is designed to "preserve and improve the <br />natural environment to a reasonable degree." The CWCB <br />appropriates minimum stream flows or natural surface <br />water levels or volumes for natural lakes to preserve the <br />natural environment to a reasonable degree. The CWCB <br />is also authorized "to acquire, by grant, purchase, <br /> <br />CONI <br /> <br />8-11 <br />