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<br />Final Report <br /> <br />April 2004 <br /> <br />public to respond to the questionnaire via the Internet. Details of public meeting <br />responses and results of the questionnaires are contained in a report titled, Summary of <br />Outreach Activities and Public Input: Spring 2002. <br /> <br />In general the major issues, objectives, and values identified during the public <br />involvement process were that: <br /> <br />. Any assertion of bypass flows as a legitimate administrative tool was highly <br />contentious. <br />. Bypass flows constituted a "takings" of private property. <br />. Bypass flows created by Forest Service permitting are not protected water rights <br />under the State's statutes. <br />. Water developments (reservoirs) sometimes provide instream flows that are not <br />adequately recognized. <br />. Beneficial effects of return flows are not adequately recognized. <br />. First priority should be to protect existing beneficial uses (existing water rights) <br />rather than environmental uses. <br />. Economic trade-offs (costs of instream flow protection to water users) must be <br />considered prior to any instream flow management action. <br />. Compensation should be made to water right holders if bypass flows are required <br />. Maintain multiple-use doctrines for NFS lands. <br />. Encourage greater cooperation among state, federal and local agencies. <br />. Aesthetics of instream flows are important. <br />. Water quality is an important component of water management. <br />. Wildlife, fish, and riparian areas are important values related to instream flows. <br />. Instream flows are important for recreational uses - rafting and fishing. <br />. Industrial and domestic water uses should be a priority. <br /> <br />After reviewing and evaluating the public comments and input as well as continued <br />feedback from their stakeholder groups, the Steering Committee categorized the issues <br />and concerns into seven-major components to be addressed. They are: <br /> <br />. absolute water rights <br />. conditional water rights <br />. water development <br />. ecological values <br />. fish and aquatic species habitat <br />. unique or high-use recreational values <br />. flow-dependent water quality <br /> <br />Flow-dependent Values <br /> <br />Resources or stream uses that are directly linked to surface water flow (flow-dependent <br />values) were identified for GMUG National Forests using mapped information (geo- <br />spacial databases) derived from existing water use and resource information available <br /> <br />-4- <br />