MoU Between U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Yampa River Basin Partnership

• Description: Yampa Technical Workgroup
• State: CO
• State: UT
• State: WY
• Basin: Yampa/White/Green
• Water Division: 6
• Date: 10/28/1997
• Author: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Yampa River Basin Partnership
• Title: MoU Between U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Yampa River Basin Partnership
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Contract/Agreement

RGO NRT. RES. SECTION Fax :[phone] Oct 28 '97 1148 P.07
while providing for future water development. Qther•participaats in the Recovery program
include the Bureau of Reclamation; the Western Area Power Administration; the States of
Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming; Upper Basin water users; and conservation organizations.
The Recovery program has initiated a project to develop a Yampa Platt The ultimate goal of the
Yampa Plan is to provide water for existing and future human needs in the Yampa River Basin, to
provide and protect the instream flows, and habitat needed to maintain and recover the endon
fishes, and to protect other native fish and wildlife resources in the Yampa River Basin. Specific
objectives of the project are to:
1.. Determine if and how much water is needed to augment late = fall
flows for the endangered f cau
fishes in the Yampa River under rent and future
conditions.
2. Detertrane if existing diversion suuctures and natural barriers on the Yampa River
impede to fish.migradon, and if so, remedy the problem, as appropriate.
3. Review/update 1990 consumptive use projections describing the amount ofwater
that is needed to meet human needs under currerm conditions and in the short and
long term.
4. Develop and implement actions to reduce/ the impacts of nonnative fishes
from existing storage projects and activities implemented through the Yampa Plan.
S. Ensure coordination, where appropriate, between the Yampa Platt, and any actions
that may be identified by the State of Colorado as it. develops the Aquatic
Management Plan for the Yampa River {consistent with Section II E. of this
agretcneat }.
6. Develop a purpose and needs statement for the Yampa Plan pursuant to NEPAL
7. Identify and evaluate alternatives pursuant to NEPAL (The possible expansion of
Elkhead Reservoir as well as other structural and non =aural alternatives.wM be
fully evaluated in the NEPA process).
a. Document analyses pursuant to NEPA .
– -- - 9 . — Develop and implement a formal agreement among appropriate parties to
implement the preferred alternative.
10. Develop a framework to address issues raised by the Service, the Partnership, and
others.
Water or water rights for instreatn flaws identified in the Yampa Plan will be appropriated, or
acquired, and administered pursuant to Colorado water law-and the Recovery Program.
H