7850

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7850
• Author: Hydrosphere Resource Consultants.
• Title: Yampa River Basin Recommended Alternatives, Detailed Feasibility Study
• USFW Year: 1994.
• USFW - Doc Type: Draft.
• Copyright Material: NO

Introduction

1

L

I
7
'I
limiting factors, and relationships between life cycle and annual flow events of the four fish
species in the Yampa River (Tyus and Karp, 1989). Using the biological information provided
by this study, the Service developed interim flow recommendations for the Yampa River which
were released in draft form in November of 1989 and in final form in March of 1990.
As a result of discussions initiated in 1989 by the Director of the Colorado Department
of Natural Resources ("DNR"), the Recovery Program began pursuing the acquisition of the
Juniper Project water rights on the Yampa River with the objective of converting them to
instream flow purposes in order to protect habitat for the endangered fish species.
PREVIOUS BASIN STUDY
As a result of discussions concerning the potential acquisition of the Juniper Project
rights, the River District, Reclamation, and the Colorado Water Conservation Board ("Board")
initiated a water resources planning study of the Yampa River basin. The Yampa River Basin
Alternatives Feasibility Study ("predecessor study") was carried out by Hydrosphere Resource
Consultants, Inc. ("Hydrosphere") between January of 1990 and March of 1993. The specific
objectives of that study were:
1) To evaluate current and future basin water needs and available supplies.
2) To identify alternative reservoir sites and operating strategies for the upper Yampa
River basin which can meet the long term water supply and economic needs of the
area, and which are compatible with the recovery of endangered Upper Colorado
River Basin fishes.
3) To identify feasible alternative projects, based on water availability, geotechnical
consideration, costs, recreational opportunities, water demands, environmental
considerations, and instream flow needs, with considerable public and agency input.
' 4) To identify a recommended project, or projects, and prepare development plans for
potential use of the Juniper Project water rights that include municipal, industrial,
recreational, and environmental water uses, and instream flow uses for endangered
fish species.
The geographical scope of the study was the Yampa River basin, with primary emphasis
' placed on that portion of the basin lying above the Little Snake River confluence.
The final recommendations of this study were to pursue in further detail the conversion
of the Juniper Project water rights for instream flow use, to consider the enlargement of the
existing Elkhead Reservoir as preferred alternative for-meeting near-term water needs in the
basin, and to consider the future enlargement of the existing Stagecoach Reservoir as the
' preferred means of meeting long-term water needs of the basin. The study concluded with an
proposed schedule of future activities which began with a more detailed evaluation of the
Elkhead Reservoir enlargement alternative and further evaluation of the water right and
' operational implications of providing instream flows for the endangered fishes.

1 1-2