WSP02643

• File Number: 8240.200.30.B
• Description: UCRBRIP
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 8/1/1994
• Author: CWCB
• Title: Draft Issues Document for the Appropriation of Instream Flows by the Colorado Water Conservaiton Board for the Recovery of Endangered Fish Species of the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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Board's fish recovery instream flow appropriations. This is not intended to be an intensive
effort, but rather a means to help assure that no reasonably viable project is overlooked which
may be in the early planning stages. The staff, in coordination with the Board's Endangered Fish
Subcommittee, will use the following process:

1)

A "Water Development Committee'" , will be formed in each Water Division of western
Colorado (Water Divisions 4, 5, 6 and 7) comprised of representatives of diverse water
interests.

2)

Prior to the Board releasing a Preliminary Notice of recovery instream flow
recommendations, the "Water Development Committees" will be asked to review available
information and data and seek input from the Division Engineers, cities, towns, local
planning agencies, conservancy districts and others, and develop preliminary estimates of
the "Reasonably Foreseeable Development Water Needs" for each of the following basins
and subbasins:

a) Little Snake River Basin above its confluence with the Yampa River;
b) Yampa River Basin above the Dinosaur National Monument;
c) White River Basin above the Colorado-Utah Stateline;
d) Gunnison River above its confluence with the Colorado River;
e) Colorado River above the Colorado-Utah Stateline;
f) Dolores River above the Colorado-Utah Stateline;
g) San Juan River and tributaries above the Colorado Stateline.

3)

The preliminary estimates will be distributed for review to Board members, the Colorado
River Policy Advisory Council, Recovery Program members and the water user and
environmental communities.
Based on comments received, the staff in consultation with the "Water Development
Committees" may revise the estimated "Reasonably Foreseeable Development Water
Needs" and present them in final draft form to the Board.

4)

5)

The final estimate of the "Reasonably Foreseeable Development Water Needs" will
represent the amount of water required to meet identified needs of water rights that will
be junior to the Board's fish recovery instream flows.

6)

A short report containing the estimation analysis and results will be prepared along with
technical appendices containing the background data and information.

'Organized and chaired by Board members from respective Water Divisions.

'Please Refer to Appendix A for suggestions on how the "Water Development Committee" would operate.

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