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<br />Profile -Fisherman gets to do what he loves most
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<br />Editor's note: In the last issue, we introduced David Robbins, the legal member
<br />of the original instream flow team. In this issue, we are proud to introduce the
<br />biologist if' that team, Eddie Kochman.
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<br />Second generation Coloradoan Eddie Kochman was born and
<br />raised in Salida, where he was only blocks away from several
<br />fishing spots along the Arkansas River. Kochman later moved
<br />to Fort Collins, attending Colorado State University, where he
<br />received his Bachelor's and Masters degrees in Fisheries. Shortly after
<br />graduating in 1966 he began working at the u.s. Fish and Wildlife
<br />Service's National Fish Hatchery in Leadville. In 1967, he joined the
<br />Colorado Department of Games, Fish and Parks (now the Colorado
<br />Division of Wildlife (DOW)) and began working as a Wildlife
<br />Conservation Officer in Akron, Colorado. In 1972, he moved to
<br />Denver and continued his career at the DOW as a fish biologist. Since
<br />then, Kochman has been involved in the protection of fish and fish
<br />habitat in many ways.
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<br />Shortly after the establishment of the Colorado Stream and Lake
<br />Protection Program (ISF Program) in 1973, Kochman became the
<br />DOW's first instream flow coordinator. He still remembers the first
<br />ISF meeting he participated. "My boss Pete Barrovvs warned me that
<br />he was sending me to meet with an attorney [David Robbins] and
<br />worst, with an engineer [Duane Helton]." And it was at that meeting
<br />th::Jt the three of them est;:!h1isheo the first (origin;:!1) instre;:!m -Row
<br />team. The team members, inspired by a lasting friendship and
<br />respect for each other, took on an arduous yet rewarding task of
<br />preparing instream flow recommendations.
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<br />Several meetings and many discussions later, the team agreed to use
<br />"fish" as the indicator of the existence of the natural environment.
<br />"We agreed that if we appropriated enough water that would protect
<br />the fish habitat in a stream, that amount of water would be adequate
<br />to protect other elements of environment as well," asserts Kochman.
<br />He adds, "of course our knowledge of quantifYing the stream needs to
<br />protect the fish habitat was near ground zero when we began
<br />studying the instream flow needs on Avalanche Creek and the Crystal
<br />River, but it evolved rapidly."
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<br />Kochman's biological studies during the next four years following the
<br />establishment of the ISF Program in 1973, along vvith much technical
<br />support from the u.S. Forest Service, provided the basis that led to
<br />the development of an instream flow quantification method known as
<br />R2CROSS. The R2CROSS is the predominate method that the CWCB
<br />staff uses to determine instream flow needs for the protection of the
<br />natural environment to a reasonable degree.
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<br />Kochman admits that in the beginning he could have been somewhat
<br />biased with respect to estimating the amount of water needed to
<br />protect the fish had it not been for David Robbins' continuous
<br />emphasis on being "reasonable." "Biologists tend to look for
<br />optimum flows to protect the fish habitat, he remarks laughingly.
<br />"But I quickly learned to recommend enough water that would
<br />protect fish [environment] to a reasonable degree." Kochman
<br />believes that the instream flow team made a lot of progress during
<br />those first four years, and he is proud of what the original instream
<br />flow team accomplished. He also agrees that the CWCB was the right
<br />agency to lead the ISF Program. "If! have to pick one program that
<br />effectively protects and manages stream fisheries, it is the ISF
<br />Program because it protects the fish habitat," says Kochman. His
<br />second choice is water quality improvement and its influence on
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<br />Colorado's streams and lakes. "ISF Program
<br />may not be perfect, but where would we be
<br />vvithout it?" reminds Kochman.
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<br />Kochman vievvs cooperation vvith the water
<br />user community as an important factor to
<br />the enhancement of instream flows. He
<br />mentions the Tamarack Ranch as an
<br />example, where several state agencies are
<br />cooperating vvith water users to provide
<br />water to satisfy Colorado's obligation for
<br />the protection of endangered species in
<br />Nebraska, while at the same time providing
<br />augmentation supplies to water users in the
<br />State. In the meantime, the DOW will be using the facilities to
<br />protect native vvildlife. The DOW is even considering building a fish
<br />hatchery on Tamarack Ranch to combat Whirling Disease. "This is
<br />the kind of cooperation we need to explore," says Kochman. He adds,
<br />"in my experience, the water users have been among the biggest
<br />conservationists in the state."
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<br />Kochman supports building reservoirs as a way of providing water
<br />supply for people and for the enhancement of fish. "The best stream
<br />fisheries in the state are generally below a reservoir," he remarks.
<br />Kochman sees reservoirs as a means of providing steady streamflows
<br />for successful fish reproduction, sffibilizing watcr tcmpcroturc,-and
<br />improving water quality. "Reservoirs also provide over 70 percent of
<br />fishing opportunities in the state," asserts Kochman. From his point
<br />of view, reservoirs are not the problem; it is the rapid population
<br />growth that could adversely impact the water-dependent
<br />environment. He emphasizes, "we've got to build more reservoirs
<br />to solve both human needs as well as the need of the fish."
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<br />Kochman is an avid fisherman, and over the years, he has many
<br />stories of the fish that "got away". His finest catch that didn't get
<br />away is his wife Babbie. Kochman met French native Beatrice
<br />"Babbie" who was attending the University of Colorado. They got
<br />married in 1965 and have two sons, Alan, 31, is a physical therapist in
<br />Aurora, and Ben, 26, lives in Iowa and is studying to be a physician
<br />assistant-both are fishermen and hunters for life. The Kochmans
<br />also have tvvo grand daughters: Cassie is two years old, and Grace is
<br />three months. Kochman is getting ready for retirement although he
<br />is not saying when. He is not certain where he and Babbie vviIl move
<br />after he retires, but is certain that it vviIl be close to good fishing..
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