Steamboat Lake water release requests

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. STATE OF cOLOR.AD<t;) '*'! . ,. ~ . COLORADO WATER CONSERVATION BOARD Department of Natural Resources 721 State Centennial Building 1313 Sherman Street Denver, Colorado 80203 Phone: (303) 86&-3441 MEMORANDUM TO: Wendy Weiss, AG Linda Preslan, AG Margot Zallen, USFWS John Hamill, USFWS Joe Maurier, CDOPR FROM: Sue Uppendahl, CWCB ;; z;t.,{, DATE: July 16, 1991 SUBJECT: Steamboat Lake Lease Agreement Background The Yampa River from Craig to the Colorado-Utah Stateline has been identified by the U.S, Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) as critical habitat for the Colorado squawfish, humpback chub, razorback sucker and bonytail chub and as a high priority for the acquisition and appropriation of water and water rights, During late summer, natural low flows and irrigation and municipal demands adversely affect these fishes and their habitat. The Recovery Implementation Program (Program) through the Water Acquisition Committee (Committee) has investigated the availability of water and/or water rights through purchase, donation or a lease for this purpose, In late 1990, discussions began with the Committee and the Colorado Department of Parks and Outdoor Recreation (Parks) regarding the lease of up to 2,000 af of water from Steamboat Lake. Parks has an absolute 1990 storage decree for recreational, piscatorial, municipal and industrial purposes, and has offered 2,000 af to be released from the lake on a five year lease to enhance flows and habitat for the endangered fishes in the Yampa River below Craig. Discussion Parks holds an absolute storage decree for 3,000 af with an appropriation date of May, 1968 and an adjudication date of July, 1990. Decreed beneficial uses are fishery, recreation, municipal, industrial, as well as irrigation of 1,000 acres. While the :;). Roy Romer Governor David W. Walker Director <l-. _",,,>.. ",>. ',="-, _ ~-