BOARD00234

• Board Meeting Date: 7/23/2002
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

also be briefed on the new Minute, Minute 308, to the Mexican Treaty dealing with the allocation of Rio
Grande waters during this past year. .

Glen Canyon Adaptive Management: The Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Workgroup
(AMWG) has recommended an experimental flow test similar to the 1996 Beach\Habitat Building Plow
(BHBF) in which releases from Glen Canyon Dam were made in excess of power plant capacity to test
the ability of those operations to conserve sediment resources and provide benefits to other resources.
The AMWG will forward that recommendation to Secretary of Interior Norton. The recommendation
will offer four release options depending upon hydrologic conditions and sediment inputs into Colorado
River from the LCR and Paria Rivers during the late summer and fall monsoon season. That sediment
input is what the experimental releases will attempt to mobilize to rebuild beaches and help benefit
endangered fishes. Researchers are continuing to refin~ the proposal for presentation at the July 17-18
AMWG meeting.

The primary purpose of the Water Year 2002-2003 experimental flows are to improve retention of
sediment resources in the Colorado River Ecosystem and to benefit native fish, primarily the endangered
humpback chub. The secondary purpose of the experiment is to improve the Lees Ferry trout fishery
through reductions in Rainbow Trout densities, which .are expected to improve growth rates and health
of the remaining trout and preserve the blue ribbon charact~ofthat fishery.

If the experimental flow is carried out, a release in eXCless of power plant capacity will occur in January
2003 assuming sufficient sediment input from the LCR and Paria occurred during the monsoon season.
Depending on Lake Powell elevation and assuming full power plant capacity (31,000 cfs), a peak flow
of around 41,000 cfs will occur for up to 48 hours. The 1996 BHBF peak was 45,000 cfs. Ifthere are
not sufficient sediment inputs this year, the test will be implemented in the first future year that tributary
sediment inputs are sufficient. .

On June 4, Robert Lynch sent a letter to the Solicitor for Interior, strongly objecting to the proposed
experiment on the grounds that such violated the "Law of the River." This discussion is continuing to
. escalate and will be the primary topic of debate at the July 17-18 AMWG meeting. Also, at the July 17-
18 AMWG meeting, researchers will report on consultations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS) regarding the experimental flow in accordance with provisions ofthe Endangered Species
Act.

Finally, Randy Seaholm has been asked to chair an au hoc group to identify which information needs
should be included in the strategic plan for the progr$m and which are outside the scope of the program
and should be eliminated from the GCAMP Strategiy Plan. It is anticipated that this work will be done
on a parallel track with the prioritization of information needs that are within the GCAMP.

Review ofthe Coordinated Long-Range Operatil\g Criteria for Colorado River Reservoirs
(Criteria): Reclamation received 16 comment letters regarding the 6th review of the Criteria. Twelve of
the letters stated that no review of the Criteria were lleceSsary at this time. Only two letters, one from
the National Park Service and one joint letter from eight envitonment groups requested changes. Most
of the changes requested related to additions those qrganizations felt were needed because of legislation
enacted since the Criteria were promulgated in 197Q. Reclamation will provide us with a status report
and information on how they will proceed at the Al\gust 5 Colorado River Annual Operating Plan
meeting in Las Vegas. .

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