Agenda Item 1b: Endangered Fish Instream Water Rights for the Yampa River

• Description: Yampa Technical Workgroup
• State: CO
• State: UT
• State: WY
• Basin: Yampa/White/Green
• Water Division: 6
• Date: 12/5/1995
• Author: Peter Evans, E. I. Jencsok, CWCB
• Title: Agenda Item 1b: Endangered Fish Instream Water Rights for the Yampa River
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Board Memo

Memo to Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
From Peter Evans and E.I. Jencsok
Date: December 5, 1995
Re: Endangered Fish Instream Water Rights for the Yampa River
Page 2
The Service has prepared the following flow recommendation reports to substantiate the
endangered fish water/habitat requirements in the Yampa River:
► "Habitat Use and Streamflow Needs of Rare and Endangered Fishes, Yampa River,
Colorado" - July 1989
"Streamflow Needs of Rare and Endangered Fishes: Yampa River Flow
Quantification" - November 1989
► "Flow Recommendations for Endangered Fishes in the Yampa River" - November
1995.
The Service considers the November 1995 report to contain the most current flow
recommendations, and as a result, it supersedes the previous Service flow recommendations
developed for the Yampa River. The Board and its staff and Colorado Division of Wildlife staff
have reviewed these reports and studies at various Board meetings and workshops. These
recommendations and reports were summarized in the memorandum to the Board dated October
5, 1995.
Workshops and Special Board Meetings: A number of Board workshops and special
meetings were held during 1995 in addition to regularly scheduled bimonthly Board meetings to
discuss the Service's proposed flow recommendations, the physical and legal availability of water
for appropriation and alternative approaches for the appropriation, protection and administration
of instream flow water rights for the endangered fish in the Yampa River. Public comment was
taken at all of these meetings. The following meetings were held:
Regular Board Meetings . Special Board Meetings
May 22 -23, 1995 (Granby) October 10, 1995 (Craig)
July 24 -25, 1995 (Denver) October 20, 1995 (Grand Junction)
September 7 -8, 1995 (Lamar)
November 6 -7, 1995 (Denver)
Workshodbs
July 5, 1995 (Denver)
August 22, 1995 (Grand Junction)
August 23, 1995 (Summit County)
August 31, 1995 (Denver)
September 26, 1995 (Denver)
November 29, 1995 (Denver)
Preliminary Notice: Preliminary Notice for the Yampa River was issued on September
15, 1995 and distributed to the interested parties mailing list announcing that the Board would
consider public input and formally initiate discussions on whether or not to appropriate the
instream flows for the endangered fish at its October 10, 1995, special meeting in Craig,