WSP00469

• File Number: 8240.200.33.C
• Description: 15-Mile Reach ‎(UCRBRIP)‎
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 1/1/1995
• Title: Colorado River - 15 Mile Reach Physcial Water Availability Study
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

. The appropriations cannot deprive the people of Colorado of the beneficial use of those
waters available by law and interstate compact.

Additionally, the Board staff in conjunction with the Colorado Division of Wildlife (Division) must
detennine whether or not the Service's flow recommendations are scientifically valid in order to
recommend approval to the Board for appropriation of instream flow.

Fish & Wildlife Service Flow Recommendations

The Service has provided a total of three reports regarding flow recommendations in the ]5 Mile
Reach:

. "Biologically Defensible Flow Recommendations for the Maintenance and
Enhancement of Colorado Squawfish Habitat in the "IS-Mile" Reach of the Upper f.
Colorado River During July, August and September" (1989) 92 C,,-, ZRG - 5"3/ crs
. "Flow Recommendation for Maintenance and Enhancement of Rare Fish Habitat in
the 15-mi]e reach during October-June" (1991) and
. "Re]ationship Between Flow and Rare Fish Habitat in the Upper Colorado River as
Determined Using Aerial Videography and Bed Profile Monitoring" (1995)

The Board accepted the] 989 flow recommendations for the July through September period in the 15
Mile Reach, and filed a 581 cfs instream flow water right in ] 992 (92CW286). In addition, an
instream flow filing for 300 cfs of accretions to the ]5 Mile Reach for the months of Ju]y through
September was made in 1994 (94CW330).

The Board, representatives from the environmental community and interested water users are still in
the process of reviewing the 1995 flow recommendations report. Staff is reviewing these 1995 flow
recommendations in consultation with the Division, the Colorado River Water Conservation District
(River District) and water users.

Introduction

In 1994 Leonard Rice Consulting Water Engineers (LRCWE) completed a Physical Water
Availability Study for the Colorado Water Conservation Board to satisfy the statutory requirement
for water being physically available of appropriations. Seven major river basins within Colorado
were studied: Gunnison, Yampa, Little Snake, White, Dolores, Colorado mainstem and the San Juan.
The purpose of the study was to quantify the amount of water, in volume and rate of flow for
sections of the rivers in the Upper Colorado River Basin which have or will have endangered fish
flow recommendations. The study relied on existing data and used generalized assumptions on the

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