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Bear River Basin Advisory Group
Meeting Record
Evanston, WY
May 18, 1998
(The next meeting is in Kemmerer, June 22, 6:00 PM at the Fossil Country
Museum, 400 Pine Avenue.)
Participants were asked to review their responses to the matrix
provided by the planning team. After nearly two and one-half
hours of discussion the group had generated a number of specific
recommendations to address criteria under the Agriculture issue
relative the Bear River Basin.
Due to time limitations the group was then asked to look at all
13 statewide issues and the corresponding criteria and impart
the ideas generated at this meeting and any others into the
matrix. These responses will be submitted to the Planning Team
in advance of the June meeting. All the information will be
compiled and examined at the June meeting to generate additional
ideas and discussion.
The results of our meeting are compiled below for your use:
AGRICULTURE
Water Quality
1. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) - TMDL standards must
be established prior to preparation of the plan. Local
groups should be used to assist with establishment of
standards.
2. The plan must contain specific solutions to address water
quality problems including projects and developments.
3. Benefits of agriculture to water quality need to be
articulated
4. Discharge issues from municipalities and industry must be
addressed
5. Maintenance of existing water rights and their benefits
to preservation of flows should be addressed
6. Practicality and economics of water quality issues should
be included
7. Maintenance of existing water rights to preserve water
quality should be addressed
8. An evaluation of benefits and impacts of agriculture to
water quality
9. Comparisons should be made between water quality
standards for each state in the Bear River Compact.
Water Rights and Allocation
-
10. The Plan should examine availability of land and water
(existing and potential) for agricultural development.
Potential for additional storage including off channel
sites should be examined.
11. Examine the efficiency of use to improve allocations
12. Don't use out-of-basin transfers to improve allocations
13. Examine existing allocations including depletions and
storage regarding the Bear River Compact
14. Examine current allocations and determine best uses of
water
15. See #7
16. Place a high priority within the plan on agricultural
water rights
Habitat, Wildlife and Fisheries
-
17. The plan should examine protections from the ESA via #3
and,
18. Benefits to fisheries and economics of water storage
projects should be addressed
19. Contributions of agriculture to open space and wildlife
habitat need to be identified
20. Benefits of agriculture and wildlife and fisheries
21. Benefits of agriculture to waterfowl and wetlands
22. Impacts of nuisance wildlife (beaver and muskrats) to
agricultural water distribution systems
23. See #8
24. Benefits and impacts of agriculture to in-stream flows,
mediating flows and timing of flows. The plan should
also review existing in-stream flow laws and application
processes.
25. See #7
26. Explore compatible uses between agriculture and wildlife
Future Demands and Growth
-
27. See #10
28. See #11
29. See #13
30. See #4
31. See #12
32. Examine in-basin transfers
33. See #1
34. See #6
35. See #5
36. See #18
37. See #s 14-16, 7
38. State needs the ability to implement plans by allowing
state law to supercede federal laws and regulations
(except the compact)
39. Economic development must minimize impacts on agriculture
40. Future growth and developed must assess impacts to
groundwater
Economic Uses and Valuation
-
41. Emphasize improved economics of agriculture based on new
technologies
42. Evaluate value added opportunities for agriculture
43. Evaluate economic benefits of water development
(recreation, industry, wildlife, fisheries, etc.)
44. Examine how agriculture improves wildlife and fisheries
habitat which attracts more tourism and other industries.
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