BOARD02075

• Board Meeting Date: 5/22/2000
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - San Juan Basin Section 7 Consultation Issues
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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ST A TE OF COLORADO

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Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver. Colorado 80203
Phone, [phone]
FAX, [phone]

Q

Bill Owens
Govemor

Greg E.Walcher
Executive Director

MEMORANDUM

Peter H. Evans
CWCB Director

TO:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Dan MeA uliffe
Depu ty Director

FROM:

Ray Alvarado,
Water Resource Specialist
Randy Seaholm, ~
Chief, Interstate Streams Investigations Section

DATE:

May 16,2000

SUBJECT: Agenda Item 17g, May 22-23, 2000 Board Meeting
Colorado River Basin Issues
. San Juan Basin Section 7 Consultation Issues

Introduction

This is an informational and potential action item that deals with the various issues
revolving around the San Juan River flow recommendations and the Section 7
consultations that have followed.

Background

In May of 1999 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released their final report on
flow recommendations for the mainstem of the San Juan River designed to conserve and
recover two endangered fishes, Colorado pikeminnow and the razorback sucker.

Mimicry of the natural hydrograph was the foundation for the San Juan River flow
recommendations, and RiverWare, a generic hydrologic model developed for the USBR
by CADSWES, was used to develop the flow recommendations. RiverWare will also be
the tool used to determine whether or not a proposed project can be implemented and still
meet the flow recommendations. The 1929-1993 period of record was used in the model
to simulate flows under various development scenarios. An ad-hoc hydrology committee
was created to aide in the implementation of the RiverWare model for the San Juan and
. to serve as a review committee, but, with no official standing within the San Juan