WSP12914

• File Number: 8240.200.10.A
• Description: Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovey Program / San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/2004
• Author: USCRBRIP / SJRIP
• Title: 2004 - 2005 Program Highlights, Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

Cooperation Key to Wise Water Management

Wise management of water resources in the arid
West is always important, particularly in times of
drought. A five-year period of sustained drought
continues to have serious impacts on people and wildlife.
Water-year 2002 was the driest in more than 100 years in parts
of the Upper Colorado River Basin, and drought's grip on the
basin remained strong in 2004.

History tells us the effects of drought are persistent and may
influence the Colorado River System for several more years.
There are indications that the drought has negatively affected
certain endangered fish populations and has increased the
abundance and distribution of some problematic nonnative
fish species in many river reaches.

The Upper Colorado River and San Juan River Endangered
Fish Recovery Programs are responding to the challenge of
water management by working cooperatively with local,
State, Federal, and tribal agencies to meet the needs of people
and endangered fish. A key to success is coordination among
stakeholders to identify the greatest water needs at any specif-
ic time and adjust flows to meet those high-priority needs.
Examples of recently implemented measures are:

I:Z The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sets flow targets for
the endangered fishes to provide sufficient habitat
for survival during drought conditions. Contracts and
leases are in place to provide supplemental late-summer
low flows as needed. Over the past six years, over
one-quarter million acre-feet of water has been provided
for endangered fish augmentation in the upper basin.

2500
2000
1500
..
en
we. 1000
U
500
0 1999

Average August Flow at Palisade Gage

c::J Added Fish Water
IIIIIIIIIIIII Base Flows

13 Year Average Flo\\'

2001

2000

* Cubic Feet Per Second

Years

Five years of sustained drought in the 15-Mile Reach of the Colorado River near
Grand Junction, Colorado, required the Upper Colorado River Recovery Program
to augment base flows with fish water secured through agreements with the
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Water, the Colorado Water Conservation
District, and the State of Colorado.

I:Z The fish ladder at the Redlands Diversion Dam on the
Gunnison River in western Colorado is operated to share
water shortages while still providing passage to help fish
reach river reaches where water is available.

I:Z The u.s. Bureau of Reclamation is near completion of the
Grand Valley Water Management Project. With
completion of the Highline Lake pump station in 2005
and full automation of the seven canal checks, an
estimated 28,000 acre-feet of water will be saved each year.

I:Z The Upper Colorado River Recovery Program partners
have agreed to fund 5,000 acre-feet of a 12,000 acre-foot
enlargement of Elkhead Reservoir in northwest Colorado
to make water available to augment late-summer flows in
the Yampa River. The Colorado River Water Conservation
District will fund the remaining 7,000 acre- feet, which
will help meet future human demands in the Yampa River
Basin. Construction is slated to begin in 2005 with
completion in 2007,

I:Z State and Federal agencies, Indian tribes and water users
continued to work together in 2004 to develop and
implement recommendations to share water shortages in
Navajo Reservoir and the San Juan River Basin. The
organizations included the New Mexico State Engineer,
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.s. Bureau of Indian Affairs,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and 10 major water users
in New Mexico. This "shortage-sharing agreement" and
its accompanying cooperation prevented what could ha\'e
been catastrophic impacts for all water users, including the
endangered fishes. Reservoir releases have been reduced to
conserve water during winter. A similar water-sharing
agreement is being developed for 2005.

Management of water to provide necessary habitat for the
endangered fishes is an integral part of recovery efforts.
Although many gains have been made, both Recovery
Programs recognize that more needs to be done and they con-
tinue to seek innovative solutions to meet water needs.

An agreement to share water shortages in Navajo Reservoir and the San Juan
River prevented what could have been catastroph ic impacts for all water users.
including the endangered fishes, during the drought.

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and San Juan River Basin Recoyery Implementation Program

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