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<br />The Flaming Gorge Work Group met Aug. 10, 1995, in Heber, Utah, to plan winter releases. <br />Flaming Gorge is nearly full, and higher winter releases will be necessary to avoid the possibility <br />of spills in 1996. Researchers would like to repeat studies to look at the effects of icing and ice <br />breakup in the Jensen area. Western Area Power Administration would like to be able to fluctuate <br />flows in a higher range to produce more power and to reduce reservoir levels. The group decided <br />to allow Westem to maintain releases at 2,500 cubic feet per second on a daily basis in November <br />and December. These releases would continue until there is evidence of icing, at which point flows <br />would be stabilized to prevent ice breakup. The issue of using the bypass tubes at Flaming Gorge <br />in spring 1996 was identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service, cre- <br />ating considerable discussion. This will be discussed Oct. 26, 1995, as identified below. <br /> <br />In other news, research for the Flaming Gorge revised biological opinion is winding down, with <br />many studies scheduled for completion in 1996. These studies are designed to meet long-term <br />data needs while collecting new information necessary for the revised biological opinion, due in <br />1997. <br /> <br />Action: <br /> <br />Flaming Gorge Work Group to meet to identify issues related to the possibili- <br />ty of releasing bypass flows in spring 1996. (The meeting will be at Western <br />Plaza Community Center, 300 East 200 South, Vernal, Utah.) <br />Oct. 26, 1995, I p.m. to 5 p.m. <br /> <br />Date: <br /> <br />Action: <br /> <br />Biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Reclamation <br />to begin meeting to review results of research conducted on Flaming Gorge <br />Dam operations during the previous five years. Biologists will use information <br />from these discussions to write the revised biological opinion on Flaming <br />Gorge. <br />Beginning in November 1995. (Specific dates and locations of meetings to be <br />determined.) <br /> <br />Date: <br /> <br />Date: <br /> <br />Revised biological opinion on operation of Flaming Gorge Dam to be final- <br />ized. <br />Sept. 30,1997. <br /> <br />Action: <br /> <br />Questions? <br /> <br />Please call George Smith at (303) 236-5322. <br /> <br />Yampa River Basin water issues <br /> <br />Recovery efforts in the Yampa River are focused on maintaining and legally protecting natural <br />flows needed for endangered fish. The Recovery Program is attempting to obtain a portion of the <br />Juniper Reservoir water rights from the Colorado River Water Conservation District. The Juniper <br />rights are conditional, or undeveloped, water rights that could control about 75 percent of the <br />river's flow. The River District has expressed a willingness to consider converting a portion of <br />these and other Yampa Basin rights to in-stream flows for endangered fish if long-term water <br />needs can be met through some other mechanism, such as enlargement of Elkhead Reservoir. <br /> <br />6 <br />