Green River Basin Advisory Group
Meeting
Record
Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge, WY
July 8, 2003
Welcome
Facilitator Sherri Gregory welcomed the group and the meeting was
called to order at 12:48 p.m. after a presentation/tour of the refuge
by Carol Damburg and a Seedskadee
Development Farm (1451kb PDF) presentation by Don
Brosz. John Hill, Green River BAG member, supplied supplemental
information about the project, including the Seekskadee Development
Farm Progress Report. 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
November 4 in Pinedale.
Water Development Commission Report
Barry Lawrence updated the BAG on the status of the plans for the other
basins. The Snake/Salt BAG will be meeting July 9 in Jackson, whereas
the BAGS for the Wind/Bighorn, Powder/Tongue and Northeast Wyoming
Basins will be meeting July 15 in Thermopolis, July 16 in Kaycee, and
July 17 in Lusk. Open houses for the Platte River Basin were held June
2 – 4 in Saratoga, Douglas and Pine Bluffs. Barry discussed the status
of all basin studies, and agendas for future meetings.
Barry introduced new planning team members Debra Cook, Water
Resources
Data System, University of Wyoming and Jodee Pring, State Engineer’s
Office.
Green River Export Study
Mike Besson, Water Development Commission, indicated there are
shortages in the Green River on its tributaries, not the main stem, as
it is on the Platte River. Due to new demands in the Platte River
Basin, a potential pipeline project to either the North Platte or
Sweetwater River is being explored at a reconnaissance level by an
in-house study. A lengthy discussion followed.
Phil Ogle and Jodie
Pavlica, WWDC, detailed the three alternatives being analyzed in the
Green River Export Study. The various alternatives and related reaches
include:
- Upper Basin, above Big Sandy Reservoir
- Middle Basin, Big Sandy and Fontenelle Reservoir
- Lower Basin, below Fontenelle Reservoir
It was indicated that the various alternatives would be evaluated
for
feasibility, followed with a report describing the findings of the
analysis and project feasibility.
AML Statewide Coal Reclamation Project (2914kb PDF)
Harold Hutson, BRS Engineering, indicated the Abandoned Mine Lands
Program was formed in 1977, with funding provided to the individual
states by a coal severance tax. The purpose of the program was for the
protection of the general public and to mitigate the adverse affects of
past mining practices. The #1 priority of the program is hazard
abatement, including mine fires, subsidence, portals, and vertical
shafts. The #2 priority is environmental degradation, including slack
and erosion. Harold discussed the 2 priorities with regard to the
Kemmerer Area Coal Project, which has 22 primary mine sites,
predominantly mined by the Kemmerer Coal Company and Union Pacific Coal
Company. The sites are located along Willow Creek, Muddy Creek, and the
Hams Fork River. He indicated the time frames for completion of the
hazard mitigation is 2004/2005 and 2006 for completion of environmental
reclamation.
State Engineer’s Office Update (809kb 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. On April 28, Metropolitan Water District and
Cochella Valley Water District are advised that their 2003 water
deliveries will be reduced to comply with the March 18 court ruling.
On July 3, after weeks of conference calls and meetings, the six
Colorado
River Basin states reached agreement on a letter to California Governor
Davis supporting the Revised Quantification Settlement Agreement, and
advising Governor Davis of concerns/issues with the current draft
agreements; willing to work with California to resolve remaining issues
(off-ramps, inadvertent overrun payback issues, certainty of measures).
The USBR issued the initial beneficial use determination of the amount
of Colorado River water needed for the beneficial use needs of the
Imperial Irrigation District for calendar year 2003 on July 3.
- Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program
At its May 2003 meeting, the Salinity Control Forum was advised by
Bureau of Land Management Director Kathleen Clarke of BLM’s commitment
to participating in the basin-wide salinity control effort. Heidi
Hadley, who is based in Salt Lake City, has filled a permanent BLM
Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Coordinator position. The Forum’s
Selenium Committee will be exploring the pros and cons to exploring
opportunities to reduce selenium loading in the basin while continuing
salinity control.
- Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery
Program
There is a meeting July 31-August 1 of the Management Committee to
develop the FY 04-05 biennial work plan. A meeting has been scheduled
August 11 in Baggs, Wyoming on the Yampa River Management Plan and
Programmatic Biological Opinion. A status report on the 2003 fish
stocking plan with regard to species, numbers and sizes of fish in the
Upper Colorado River was presented.
- Upper Colorado River Commission
A meeting of the Upper Colorado River Commission was held June 17,
2003. It was announced that Ben Bracken had been appointed as an
alternate commissioner. At the meeting, resolutions were adopted on the
use and accounting of upper basin water supplied to the lower basin by
New Mexico in the proposed Navajo-Gallup water supply project and by
Utah in the proposed Lake Powell pipeline project. However, Wyoming
officially supported the resolution with conditions, which included a
non-precedent position, and future transfers of upper Colorado River
basin water will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The next
meeting is October 7-8, 2003 in St. George, Utah.
- Rio Grande Silvery Minnow v Keys On June 12, the U.S. 10th
Circuit
Court of Appeals ordered the USBR to reduce contract deliveries from
the San Juan-Chama and Middle Rio Grande projects to supply water for
the habitat requirements of the endangered silvery minnow.
- Water Supply Update
It is anticipated that there will be 50% average inflows to Fontenelle
and Flaming Gorge Reservoirs for April through July. Current storage
levels as a percent of capacities are approximately 70 to 75 percent in
both facilities.
The meeting was adjourned.