WSP02092 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ENDANGERED FISHES RECOVERY PROGRAM - UPPER COLO. RIVER BASIN December I, 1994Draft Outline Page 3 . $600,000 from FWS . $1,5000,000 from Reclamation (CRSP power revenues) . $104,000 from Colorado . $73,000 from Utah, and . $23,000 from Wyoming; . PLUS $10 PER ACRE FOOT "DEPLETION FEE" for every acre foot of new depletion to be paid by the water project proponent (increased to cover inflation to almost $12 now). . 2 funds to cover the cost of more expensive activities were to be established, one to provide at least $10 million for the purchase of water rights for instream flow protection, and the second to provide $5 million to build hatcheries and fish passage structures, relocate diversion structures, and for other structures and habitat modification actions. . It was thought that this $15m would be approximately equivalent to the state + water user contribution (assumed full development of compact allocations in CO, UT, and WY within the 15 year period). E. 5 BASIC RECOVERY PROGRAM ELEMENTS. . (1 )Flow Protection and Management - includes appropriation of instream flows, reoperation of major federal reservoirs, a cooperative study of coordinated reservoir management opportunities, and potential purchases of private water rights through open market. . No condemnation of private property. . Purchase of water rights is considered last resort by CWCs. . Yampa River, Colorado mainstem, and White River identified as top priorities, placing major burden upon the CWCB; since we don't have a lot of data to quantify the biological needs of the fish, the biologists believe we should "MIMIC THE NATURAL HYDROGRAPH." . ewcs entered into an ENFORCEMENT AGREEMENT with the FWS in 1992, but 2 major uncertainties (the biological needs of the fishes and the distribution of future water development among the 6 principle subbasins - including out-of-basin uses) lead ewCB to adopt interim strategy for appropriating flows in 1994 as a means of sustaining forward motion toward "recovery". . FWS agreed to stop "examining the flexibility" of existing non-federal reservoirs when they consult under ESA Sec7 in exchange for an agreement that the states and water Users would initiate the coordinated reservoir operation study; the goal is to evaluate flow management opportunities outside the regulatory framework (where the FWS has much greater bargaining strength) and to seek a more effective and equitable distribution of the flow management "burden" among all water users and facilities.