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Green River Basin Advisory Group
Meeting
Record
Rock Springs,
WY
March 25,
2003
Welcome
Facilitator Sherri Gregory welcomed
the group and the meeting was called to order at 10:04
a.m. All attendees introduced themselves, followed by a
review of the overall meeting agenda. A sign-in sheet was passed
around to record attendance. The next meeting is scheduled for
July 8 at the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge.
Water Development Commission Report
Barry Lawrence updated the BAG
on the status of the plans for the other basins. The
BAG for the Snake/Salt Basins will be meeting March 26 in Alpine,
whereas the BAGS for the Wind/Bighorn, Powder/Tongue and Northeast
Wyoming Basins will be meeting April 1 in Cody, April 2 in Buffalo
and April 3 in Newcastle. The Bear River Basin met March 24
in Cokeville. Open houses for the Platte River Basin will be held
this spring. Barry discussed the status of all basin studies,
and agenda for future meetings.
John Jackson indicated that four new commissioners had been appointed,
including Dan Budd in Division IV. Nineteen new projects
were authorized in the Omnibus Water Bill – Planning, including
the Bridger Valley Reservoir project study. Twenty-seven
projects were authorized in the Omnibus Water Bill – Construction.
The two in this basin included the Big Piney Water Supply project,
which will add new storage, and a connecting pipeline to Marbleton
and the rehabilitation of the Jon’s Drop and Four Mile Flume in
the Little Snake River drainage. The Groundwater Exploration Grant
Program, which was amended in 2002, was appropriated an additional
budget of $1,500,000. Eligibility for the Small Water Project Program
was amended to include the entire state.
Upper Green River Joint Powers Board Update
Randy Bolgiano, Green River BAG
member, indicated that Sweetwater, Sublette and Lincoln
Counties have signed the joint powers water board formation
paperwork. Carbon County has withdrawn and Uinta County has not
signed at this time. The document has been submitted to the State
of Wyoming Attorney General’s Office for review. Each of the three
counties will appoint three members to the joint powers board. Discussion
followed.
Instream Flow Issues
(1320kb PDF)
&
Filings in Green River Basin(Part
1 - 1580kb PDF)
(Part 2 - 4303kb PDF)
Tom Annear,
Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD), indicated
that instream flow is beneficial in that it maintains
a quality of life, is an important economic factor in tourism
and is a legal tool for the State of Wyoming to protect
a beneficial use of water. The goals are to either maintain existing
flow patterns and habitat on public lands or to restore or
improve flow patterns and fishery habitat on private property.
The process to obtain an instream flow right has science, public
involvement and legal/institutional components. These involve
various state agencies, the public, and various state and federal
laws.
Paul Dey, WGFD, indicated that of the 83 statewide Instream flow segments
filings, 35 segments, covering 145 miles, were located
in the Green River basin. Priority dates range from 1989
to 2002. The State Engineer has approved 2 of the basin’s instream
flow rights. Paul described each segment’s habitat. Discussion
followed.
Wyoming’s Drought
Jan Curtis, State Climatologist,
introduced the drought website and drought related links,
which included the palmer index, soil moisture and Snotel
maps. Most of the state is in an exceptional drought, but due
to recent snowstorms, most of the state, has been upgraded to
an extreme drought. As of March 24, 2003, the average snowpack
in the Bear River basin was 85%. He emphasized the importance
of precipitation in April for the basin. A brief discussion followed
Instream Flow Issues and Filings in the Green River Basin (Cont’d)
The Green River Basin BAG asked to
continue the discussion with Wyoming Game and Fish representatives
regarding the methodology utilized to review Instream flow
applications before being submitted to the WWDC. Discussion
centered on Wyoming Game and Fish Department staff versus Wyoming
Game and Fish Commissioner roles.
Tree-Ring Based Reconstructions of Precipitation Variability in Southwest
Wyoming over the Past 750 Years (413kb PDF)
Steve Gray, University of Wyoming, indicated that almost
all water-resources planning is based on the climate of the past
100 years due to the instrumental records only covering that
timeframe. This timeframe may not adequately reflect long-term
trends and cycles. However, tree-ring archives provide long
duration records. In this area, 174 trees were used in the study,
which included pinon and limber pines. The reconstructed precipitation
from the tree ring samples indicated that past centuries point to
droughts being more pronounced and longer in length. In assessing the
instrumental record for the 20th century, it appears that droughts were
relatively short with unusually wet conditions in contrast to earlier
timeframes. A lengthy discussion followed.
State Engineer's Office Report
(Part 1 - 1445kb PDF)
(Part 2 - 1055kb PDF)
Pat Tyrrell and John Shields provided an update on Colorado
River programs and issues. These included:
- California’s Colorado River Water Use Plan
On January 1, 2003, the annual delivery
of Colorado River water to California was reduced from 5.1
million acre-feet (MAF) to 4.4 MAF and the interim surplus guidelines
were suspended due to the state’s failure to execute the Quantification
Settlement Agreement by December 31, 2002. However, the Imperial
Irrigation District was granted its full allotment of Colorado River
water by U.S. District Judge Thomas Whelan on March 18. It was
ruled that Interior Secretary Norton didn’t follow procedure and
breached water contracts dating to the Great Depression.
- Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program
The Salinity Control Forum at its October
2002 meeting adopted the Triennial Review report of the Colorado
River water quality standards for salinity.
- Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program
The program is a cooperative effort between
the States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, federal
agencies, water and power users, and environmental groups for
endangered species recovery in conformance with the Endangered
Species Act of 1973. The continued program has resulted in the humpback
chub and Colorado pikeminnow making progress in gaining population
for downlisting from endangered to threatened status.
- Yuma Desalting Plant
Minute No. 242 to the 1944 Mexican Water
Treaty provides for the treatment of saline agricultural
drainage water from the water delivered to Mexico. The Yuma
Desalting Plant is the primary measure authorized by Congress
to minimize adverse effects on the use of Colorado River water.
However, the high annual operation and maintenance costs for the
plant make it less than desirable. The USBR is proposing to lease
water from willing sellers on a year-to-year basis to provide a
replacement water supply to offset the saline agricultural drainage
water.
- Colorado River Delta
A workshop was held in October 2002 to
discuss and develop conservation goals in the lower delta
over the next two decades. Species of particular concern include
the Yuma Clapper Rail, Totoaba Sea trout, and Vaquita porpoise.
Representatives of the basin states were invited to participate
as observers.
- Snowpack and Water Supply Situation
As of March 24, 2003, the Green River
basin had 85-88% of average snowpack. The recent snowstorm
in the Rockies/plains helped reduce, but not eliminate the drought
and water supply concerns from central Colorado northward to the
Canadian border. Jade Henderson, Water Division IV Superintendent,
commented on the water supply situation in the basin. It was announced
that Loren Smith had been appointed the Water Division III Superintendent.
Discussion followed.
CBM Water Quality Applications to Surface Use
Mickey Steward, Coalbed Methane Coordination
Coalition, indicated that the Atlantic Rim, Hanna and Seminoe
areas had the most potential for coalbed methane (CBM) development
in the basin. The coal is deeper in southwest Wyoming than
in the Powder River basin and there will be different issues with
the development of CBM in this area, including wildlife management issues,
snow and wind related impacts in the winter, and more extensive road
development and related dust control issues. Mickey discussed some
of the concerns that evolved from CBM development in northeast Wyoming,
including the various types of discharges, infrastructure needs, and
water quality. Mickey noted that CBM water should be seen as a resource,
to be used potentially as a source for stock watering and irrigation,
or potentially for a controlled grazing system. A lengthy discussion
followed.
The meeting adjourned at 3:44 p.m.
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