Instream Flows for Recreation: A Handbook on Concepts and Research Methods

• Description: Instream Flows for Recreation: A Handbook on Concepts and Research Methods
• Date: 1/1/1993
• Author: Whittaker, Doug; Shelby, Bo; Jackson, William; Beschta, Robert - National Park Service
• Title: Instream Flows for Recreation: A Handbook on Concepts and Research Methods
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

There are a variety of methods involved in
executing this step, and subsequent chapters
explore those methods in greater detail.
Chapters 4 and 5 discuss the range of methods
being used in flow studies, many of which offer
techniques for evaluating conditions or flows.
Sections of Chapter 7, on developing flow need
recommendations, also address the integration
tasks inherent in this step.
Step 7:
INTEGRATE FLOW NEEDS
FOR VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES
At this point in the process, flow needs for
individual opportunities or resource qualities
have been clearly defined. The next step is to
integrate those needs with each other. This is
another evaluative step which may require
balancing different and often competing flow
needs for various opportunities. For example,
one flow regime may provide excellent trout
fishing and scenic boating, but would fail to
provide a high quality whitewater opportunity.
The goal here is to develop a flow regime (or
range of alternative flow regimes) that considers
the trade -offs of providing different
opportunities.
The best integrations will provide for many
opportunities, but in some cases the "elegant
solution" may be more difficult to find. On a
regulated river, the goal is to find a balance
among opportunities in light of the river's
traditional uses, policy mandates, and potential
to provide the highest value opportunities or
resource outputs. On an unregulated river, the
goal is to protect existing high value
opportunities or resource outputs. In either
case, decisions may come down to interest group
politics and the vagaries of resource planning.
However, a good study will help improve that
planning process by providing a structure to
focus discussion and debate. In this step, you
build that structure through an explicit
discussion of trade -offs and flow regime
alternatives.
Chapter 7 of the handbook explores some of
the techniques that can be used to complete this
step, including a discussion on the development
of "flow scenarios" or flow regime alternatives.
That chapter also discusses integrating flow
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needs for various recreation opportunities with
the flow needs for other resource outputs such
as fish or wildlife habitat, hydropower
generation, or withdrawals for industrial
activities, municipal water supply, or
agriculture.
Step 8:
DEVELOP STRATEGIES
TO PROTECT /OBTAIN FLOWS
The final step in the process is to develop a
strategy to obtain or protect instream flows.
This step requires evaluating and blending legal,
administrative, and technical alternatives to
maintain or enhance flow - dependent values.
The strategy needs to be realistic,
administratively efficient, and as flexible as
possible in recognizing the many overlapping
and competing interests for instream flows. I1
is out of the scope of this document to discuss
the full range of legal options for protecting or
obtaining instream flows. In general, the
primary focus will be on establishing an
instream flow water right under applicable state
law. However, alternative water rights
strategies should be evaluated, including the
reserved rights doctrine and opportunities for
acquiring or transferring existing rights.
The keys to protecting a water right are
specifying an amount that protects resource
values, quantifying the right so that it can be
realistically measured and protected, establishing
a meaningful priority date in relation to
competing water uses, and developing an
effective administration strategy.
An instream flow assessment might consider
other (nonlegal) administrative and technical
options to support the purposes of an instream
flow water right. For example, water control
structures and watershed management
techniques may be used to regulate runoff and
streamflow to meet instream objectives.
Rights -of -way permitting and land purchase and
exchange may also be used to curtail
consumptive uses of water that conflict with
instream flow objectives. Land management,
such as proper floodplain development, control
of access, or management of riparian vegetation,
may enhance values or processes for which
instream flows are required. Finally, agreements