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. 0_, ".~" U100-:: May 22, 1992 Issue No. 940 WESTERN STATES WATER TIlE WEEKLY NEWSLETIER OF TIlE WESTERN STATES WATER COUNCIL Creekview Plaza. SUite A-lOl I 942 East 7145 So. I Miclvale. Utah 84047 I (801) 561-5300 I FAX (801) 255-9642 editor - Tony Willardson typist - Carrie curvin ENVIRONMENT WetJands/People . The Environmental Law Institute and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have recently issued eight national wetlands protection awards to individuals who have demonstrated innovation or excellence in wetlands conservation in state or local government, the non-profit sector, or the business world. North Dakota Governor George A. Sinner was the recipient of a Special Award for 'public policy leadership.' In 1987, Governor Sinner established a North Dakota wetlands management committee and worked closely with the state legislature and other policymakers on wetlands issues. As a result, North Dakota enacted a no-net-Ioss law in 1987. Prior to its passage, the state lost 20,000 acres of wetlands annually. Since its enactment, there has been a net gain of 2,500 acres. Governor Sinner has also worked actively on wetlands and water issues in regional and national organizations. Kenneth F. Bierly, Oregon wetlands program manager, won the award in the state government category. Listed among his achievements are Oregon's comprehensive wetlands legislation and its exemplary wetlands program, a wetlands priority plan, the beginnings of a mitigation bank, and wetlands conservation planning and educational programs. . Steve Gordon, Senior Program Manager, Eugene, Oregon won the award in the local government category. Gordon manages program elements associated with the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan plan, including the development and preparation of the West Eugene Wetlands Special Area Study, a comprehensive management plan involving 8,000 chairman - william H. Young executive director - Craig Bell acres. It is touted as a national model for resolving wetlands issues at the local level. Ross Murphy, Director, Deep Fork Wetlands Coalition, Tulsa, Oklahoma won the award in the non- profit category. Since 1988, Murphy has created and maintained the Deep Fork Wetlands Coalition to protect 25% of the remaining wetlands in Oklahoma - 80,000 acres that lie along the Deep Fork River. WATER RESOURCES Drought According to the May 9 Palmer Drought Index, severe to extreme conditions are dominant from southern California to North Dakota, while Arizona, New Mexico and Texas are unusually moist. April precipitation was above average in the southwest and the northern portions of the Columbia and Missouri river basins, but well below average elsewhere in the West. With a few isolated exceptions, western snowpacks are below to well below average. Snowmelt and spring runoff began early this year with warm April temperatures and have peaked in some areas. As of May 1, below to well below average streamflows are forecast for almost the entire West. Near record low volumes are expected in the northern Great Basin, southern Columbia River Basin, and Green River tributaries of the Colorado. Streamflows should be near or above average in New Mexico, southern Colorado, southeastern Utah, the Canadian portion of the Columbia River Basin, and southeastern Alaska. Similarly, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Washington are the only states reporting average to above average reservoir storage. Storage is below to well below average for most western states. In Nevada storage is only 14% of average and 10% of capacity. On April 30, Lake Powell held 13.9M acre-feet, or 56% of capacity.