7378

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7378
• Author: Wydoski, R. S.
• Title: Potential Impacts of Alterations in Streamflow and Water Quality on Fish and Macroinvertebrates in the Upper Colorado River Basin.
• USFW Year: 1980.
• USFW - Doc Type: 77-147
• Copyright Material: YES

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things done for the purposes of society and that the law will protect and

In the past. cost-benefit analyses of water resources projects have

foster the greatest values of water. Therefore. he believes that water

not adequately considered all the environmental. or social. costs and bene-

laws can be changed if society so dictates but also warns that institutions

fits. However. more recently. Krutilla and his coworkers have pioneered in

such as law may be resistant to and require time for change. Administra-

this area and now many more of the nonmarket values are being incorporated

tive strategies for legislative improvement in such instances are suggested

in these analyses. (See. for example. Krutilla and Fisher. 1975.) The

by Jensen (1976).

present market system does not properly weigh the short- and long-range

2. Environmental and ecological effects of land management practices.

costs and benefits that must be applied to the renewable and nonrenewable

This research should address ways to reduce the environmental impacts of

resources of the Rocky Mountain region (Neuhold. Herrick. and Patten. 1975).

watershed management practices on streamflow, water quality, and aesthetics.

Next to research on the environmental impacts of energy development. Thorne

and on game and nongame species of fish and on wildlife. The research

(1973) recommended research on agricultural tmpacts in this region. Thorne

should include the effects of logging and grazing on forested watersheds

emphasized that energy development poses the threat of increasing salinity

in the Intermountain West, Grazing and logging result in the release of

loads in the Colorado River that will reduce crop production. and also that

sediments to streams. The effects of sediment on the aquatic life (macro-

water quality will enter the political arena through national and inter-

mined,

4. Minimizing the effects of stream alterations. Streams are al-

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invertebrates and fish) in this region are not known and should be deter-

national agreements.

Thorne (1973) suggested, as a top priority for research. determining

tered for various purposes. including highway construction and flood con-

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the effects of different levels and types of energy development on the

trol. Some estimates are that between 30 percent and 70 percent of streams

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total environment of the Upper Colorado region. and to critically analyze

in the intermountain region have been altered by channelization. The bene-

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alternative strategies. The critical points for decisions on future op-

fits of these alterations are often derived over short periods of time.

tions in land- and water-use planning must be identified and understood

but the impacts on aquatic communities may be felt for long periods.

(Neuhold. Herrick. and Patten. 1975),

Since energy and other development will result in the channeling of streama.

3. Effects of salinity increases. water quality degradation. and

management agencies must be able to predict what the impacts of this will

sediments on aquatic life, Energy development in the Upper Colorado River

be on fish and wildlife. and what can be done to reduce these impacts.

Basin will affect the salinity and water quality of the river system.

Streams in the intermountain area are currently being impounded to

Agencies that manage fish and wildlife resources do not have the necessary

store runoff for later use. Several reports have recommended that free-

information to determine what the effects of these factors will be on game

flowing streams with unique and/or high qualities be examined for their

fish or on threatened and endangered species.

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