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STREAMFLOW MANAGEMENT PLAN for the UPPER SOUTH PLATTE RIVER I. INTRODUCTION A. Purpose The Streamflow Management Plan is part of a locally generated alternative (Alternative A2) to a Forest Service recommendation for designation of the South Platte River under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act The Streamflow Management Plan was cooperatively developed to identify opportunities for operating water supply facilities in ways that protect and in some instances enhance the trout fisheries and whitewater recreation in the South Platte River while maintaining the current and future water supply functions of the river and facilities. Trout fisheries and whitewater recreation are two of the "Outstandingly Remarkable Values" (ORV's) listed in the Forest Service's 1997 Legislative Environmental Impact Statement. Operations under this Plan will not cause participating water users to lose existing or future water supply. The stream reaches covered by this Plan are the mainstem of the South Platte River from Spinney Mountain Reservoir downstream to the confluence with the North Fork and the North Fork of the South Platte River from the Roberts Tunnel to the confluence with the mainstem (Figure 1)4 Through cooperative and voluntary development, this Plan provides benefits to the fisheries and whitewater recreation that are not likely to occur through Wild and Scenic designation of the river. These benefits for the fisheries include establishing minimum releases from Cheesman and Eleven Mile Reservoirs, moderating stream temperature when reservoirs spill, establishing guidelines for reservoir outflow fluctuations, managing streamflow during spawning periods, and allowing interested parties to participate in the establishment of annual operating plans for Spinney, Eleven Mile, and Cheesman reservoirs. There is also consideration given to whitewater recreation for the North Fork. Benefits are summarized in Table 1. A major benefit of this Plan is providing minimum streamflows4 The Forest Service can not control streamflow under the Wild and Scenic Act. The Forest Service might apply for instream water rights but those rights, if obtained, would be so junior (in an already over appropriated stream) that they would be ineffective for fishery purposes. Also, the Wild and Scenic Act does not allow the Forest Service to control how reservoirs are operated. Therefore, the benefits such as controlling water temperature and limiting streamflow fluctuations would not result from Wild and Scenic designation~ Another N :\Supply\ Waage\wildscen\attachb.doc B-1