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<br />B. Hydrology Support for Water Acquisition activities: <br /> <br />Assistance was provided to the Recovery Program Director in development of criteria <br />for Ruedi releases, and coordination ofthe annual public meetings for Ruedi releases <br />and Coordinated Reservoirs. Water Year 2002 was a year where snowpack was low, <br />the spring peak flows were short-lived and followed by a long, hot, and dry summer <br />which created additional need for coordination and cooperation. The Service Water <br />Resources staff participated in the following activities to help keep water in the <br />Colorado, Green, and Yampa rivers to support endangered fish. <br /> <br />1. During the late summer, flows in the IS-Mile Reach were monitored on a daily <br />basis and weekly conference calls were held to coordinate releases from Ruedi, Green <br />Mountain, Wolford Mountain, and Williams Fork reservoirs. Flows in the IS-Mile <br />Reach remained well below the Service dry year recommendations of 810 cfs for <br />most of the summer and fall and because the sever drought conditions reservoirs were <br />needed to help maintain a flow of between 75 and 100 cfs most of the summer and <br />fall. The final accounting is yet to be completed, but preliminary estimates are that <br />a total of just over 15 thousand acre-feet of water was released from Ruedi, Wolford, <br />and Williams Fork. No water was available from Green Mountain Reservoir under <br />the municipal lease. The use of water for flow suppOli will be documented in the <br />Service's alIDual report to CWCB in March of2003. <br /> <br />2. Water year 2002 was one of the lowest years on record for the Yampa River and <br />throughout the entire state of Colorado . Because the tlo"\lS in the Y ampa were so low <br />by the end of July, the Recovery Program staff began to think that the purchase of <br />Steamboat Lake water would be a waste of water and Recovery Program funds. The <br />low flow situation in the Yampa was discussed at the July 24 Biology Committee <br />meeting and tbe committee agreed that the late summer flows in the Yampa should <br />be monitored closely and the Program Directors' office determines the efficacy of <br />providing flow augmentation from Steamboat Lake. By mid-August, flows in the <br />Yampa River at Deerlodge Park had dropped significantly to a point where the gage <br />was hardly able to measure any flow. At this point the Recovery Program staff <br />determined" that nothing would help restore flows and a decision was made not to <br />lease water out of Steamboat Lake in 2002. <br /> <br />3. The geomorphology peer review panel was approved to review two important <br />program reports. The problems with the panel in past years had been conected by <br />WAC adding tlrree additional reviewers to the review panel. The reviewers would <br />be recommended by the Principal Investigator and approved by the Program <br />Director's Office on an as-needed basis. Criteria for selection as a reviewer will be <br />similar to the criteria used by the Biology Committee. The Principal Investigator <br />would be responsible for securing comments from individuals suggested. During <br />2002, reviews were completed for the draft Gunnison Flow Recommendations, draft <br />Duchesne River Flow Recommendations, and the Yampa/Green sediment monitoring <br />report. <br /> <br />19H-2 <br />