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protect recreation interests downstream of Ruedi and by the federal requirement that reservoir <br />construction cost be repaid by the year 2019. We are continuing to negotiate these issues with the <br />water users, local interests and Recovery Program participants. <br />Coordinated Reservoir Operations (mainstem of the Colorado River). This evaluation <br />was initiated in March 1995. The study team includes the major reservoir operators within the <br />Colorado River Basin above Grand Junction, the FWS, CWCB, SEO and several other interested <br />organizations. The purpose of the evaluation is determine whether or not reservoir operations can be <br />modified and coordinated in a manner that will improve flows for endangered fish in the 15 -Mile <br />Reach of the Colorado River above the Gunnison River confluence without affecting reservoir yields <br />or others. In addition, the study has developed a process for coordinating reservoir operations and <br />identified legal and institutional issues that need to be addressed in the coordination process. <br />To date, an interim report has been prepared that identifies a number of legal and institutional issues <br />to address. This process was tried for the first time during runoff in 1997. Coordinated reservoir <br />operations resulted in the inflows to several major reservoirs being bypassed during the first several <br />days of June 1997. However, coordinated operations were terminated when flows at Cameo started <br />to exceed 28,000 cfs for fear of flooding in the Grand Junction area and reservoir operations returned <br />to traditional operations for this type of high runoff year. We emphasis that no storage water was <br />released and no reservoir yield lost: only natural inflow to the reservoirs was bypassed. <br />YAMPA RIVER BASIN <br />Endangered Fish Recovery Program — Yampa River O &M Plan (Elkhead <br />Enlargement) <br />This effort undertaken as part of the Upper Colorado River Recovery Implementation Program <br />involves the development of a plan to protect both instream flows and future water supplies for <br />the Yampa River Basin. We are coordinating with the Yampa River Basin Partnership in studies <br />that are expected to indicate whether additional storage will be needed to assure the availability of <br />future supplies for human needs while protecting fish recovery flows. The Yampa River Basin <br />Planning Model in CRDSS is being used to help evaluate hydrologic conditions under various <br />scenarios. <br />Endangered Fish Recovery Program — Yampa and Little Snake River Flow <br />Recommendations — Flow recommendations are due on the balance of the Yampa River and <br />on the Little Snake River by November, 1999. The CWCB will then need to take action to file <br />instream flow water right applications based on these recommendations. <br />Endangered Fish Recovery Program — Yampa River Instream Flow Filings — The <br />CWCB filed for two instream water rights on the Yampa River in December, 1995. The first <br />right seeks to protect specified baseflows totaling approximately 225,000 AF. The second water <br />right (Recovery Flow Water Right) seeks to protect all remaining flows after a carveout of an <br />additional 52,000 AF over and above todays consumptive uses has been developed. The Yampa <br />carveout could be increased by an additional 72,000 AF or 124,000 AF over and above todays <br />consumption. <br />Interpretation of Article XIII of the Upper Colorado River Compact — There are <br />individuals in the Yampa River basin that believe that Yampa basin is only required to deliver <br />5,000,000 AF at the Maybel gage over any consecutive 10 -year period and that the rest of the <br />Upper Colorado River Compact does not pertain to them. We will need to be prepared to address <br />C; \msoffice \winword \document \basinissues <br />December 30, 1997 <br />Page 7 of 19 <br />