BOARD01567

• Board Meeting Date: 5/1/1975
• Description: Agenda or Table of Contents, Minutes, Memos
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

and I hope I have answered your inquiry of me, and I will try not to
ramble some more.

Mr. Stapleton: Is Marv Smith here?

Mr. Fischer: Mr. Kochman is here.

Ya:. Kochman: Thank you, Mr. Chairm&n, members of the board. It was
with great interest that I heard Mr. Fischer's comments. It seems like
he knows something about minimum stream flows after all. I was that
biologist that went to his board. Mr. Fischer told me on the telephone
that I had fifteen minutes. I wanted to bring a set of slide pictures
worth a thousand words. Well, I think we have some good pictures. I
didn't take those slides because of the time commitment.

It was very difficult in the time allowed, especially after I sat for
three hours before I had a chance to speak. Realizing my lack of
eXpl[\!lation, Mr. Fischer did give credit to Marvin Smith, who is the
area supervisor, and Marvin did try in detail to explain our method of
coming up with these recommendations.

I assure you, the Division of Wildlife does not have all the answers,
but we do think that we are objectively looking at this problem.

The question raised is that there is too much water. To some people
minimum stream flows means just that, enough to keep the fish alive.
Our definition of minimum stream flows is quite broader. We are trying
to make a recommendation that is realistic, from the standpoint of
available water, but at the same time in maintaining the fisheries.

If it is the desire of the board, maybe we should do this strictly with
synthetic hydrology, take a minimum flow curve and say, "That is our
recommendation." Then, when the water users ask us how we did it, we
can tell them very simply "We are trying to do this very objectively,
we are trying to use some scientific basis." I feel that anyone that
wants to take the time to really sit down with us, we can explain how
we did it.

Thank you.

~~. Stapleton: Larry, the Colorado River Board District says in its
paragraph No. 4 that we are today to consider appropriating flows in
the Crystal River in excess of historic minimum flows. If I can read
your chart correctly, it doesn't indicate that.

~. Sparks: It does not.

Mr. Stapleton: Have you or any of the staff discussed this point with
the river district board?

Mr. Sparks: I originally pointed out that there are times when these
streams drop below our recommended minimum flow. That is the nature of
a stream. and that is tru~ for ,every decree holder in the state,of

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