BOARD01101

• Board Meeting Date: 7/23/2001
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Reclamation will incorporate information gained from ~he short-term test into an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) it is preparing. The BIS will address changes in dam operation due to the San Juan
River Basin Recovery Implementation Program flow recommendations, e

The EA and FONSI are also available www.uc.usbr.gov/ Environmental Programs and select Navajo
Dam & Reservoir Site, then Navajo Unit-Reservoir Operations.

San Mignel ISF Public Meetings: On June 6 and 7 w.e held meetings in Montrose, Norwood and
Telluride to discuss a proposed 2002 new instream flow recommendation. A complete report about these
meetings and the status of the recommendation will o~cur at the Board meeting.

A newspaper report about the Norwood meeting Can be reviewed at
www.telluridel!atewav.com/archive/200!archive/060401dn.html#N ews3.

A newspaper report about the Telluride meeting Can be reviewed
www.telluridel!atewav.com/archive/2001archlve/060601dn.html#N ews4, and
www.telluridel!atewav.com/archlve/200!archlve/~60701dn.html#N ews2.

San Juan RIP Meeting: The Coordination Cornmitt~e met in Farmington, New Mexico on June 11 tho
The meeting was eventful in that the program documents were amended to include the establishment of
a formal "Hydrology Committee" and describe the duties of the Committee and how it would interact
with other RIP committees, Colorado was the lead for getting this amendment to the program
documents accomplished. Furthermore, Ii Section 7 Agreement for the SJRIP was also approved that
assure the SJRIP will serve as the RPA for future Section 7 consultations. This document has been a
long time corning for the SJRIP and Torn Pitts deserves a lot of credit for getting this accomplished.

Also, Reclamation is conducting a low flow test 1m th'e San Juan River. Beginning on July 9th, releases
from Navajo Dam will be reduced to 250 cfs (the norinallow flow release is 500 cfs). Releases will a
remain at 250 cfs for 5 to 10 days. The low flow test lis necessary to meet flow recommendations by th..
SJRIP to benefit endangered fish while protecting existing and new water development.

Yampa R\ver'Basin Issues

3-Forks Ranch Stream Habitat Improvement SiteNisit: CWCB and DWR staff met with
representatives oO-Forks Ranch (Case No. 6-00CW48) on June 8 to tour and evaluate their stream
habitat improvement project in the Little Snake Rivet drainage located north of Steamboat Springs. The
project was designed to minimize excessive streltrnbl\nk erosion and improve the hydraulic parameters
within the stream channel to enhance fish habitat, particularly during low flows, The project has
enhanced 1.06 miles of the Middle Fork Little Snake, 0,45 miles of the North Fork Little Snake, 6,90
miles ofthe South Fork Little Snake and 1.90 miles of the Little Snake River. Overall, the project was
very impressive and should serve as a model for futtire stream habitat restoration projects.

Yampa Basin Plan: On June 5 the Management Cojnrnittee ofthe Upper Colorado River Endangered
Fish Recovery Program revised the Recovery progrl\rn's long term plan to reflect the consensus
agreement reached by the Yampa Programmatic Bio~ogical Opinion Discussion Group regarding
implementation of the Program and the expansion of Elkhead Reservoir, The modifications to the long-
range plan adopted by the Program include:

. An "implementation plan" for the Recovery Program in the Yampa Basin will be developed and
will discuss how the plan will be implement~, the leasing of3,300 AF per year for endangered
fish, the expansion of Elkhead Reservoir to provide 3,700 AF per year for late summer releases
for endangered fish, the expansion of Elkhef Reservoir to meet future hnman and other needs. e

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