WATER RIGHTS AND ENDANGERED FISH FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR FLOWS UTAH DIVISION OF WATER RIGHTS - 2009

1. WATER RIGHTS AND ENDANGERED FISH FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR FLOWS UTAH DIVISION OF WATER RIGHTS - 2009

2. MATT LINDON, PE ASSISTANT STATE ENGINEER TECHNICAL SERVICES

3. Utah Colorado River Compact Entitlement & Current Depletions Utah’s Apportionment (23%) 1,369,000 AF Current Depletion 1,007,500 AF Remaining Depletion 361,500 AF

4. Estimated Depletion – 2009Units – 1000 Acre FeetSource: Division of Water Resources • Agriculture/stock 591.4 • Municipal/Domestic 25.3 • Power/Industrial 44.6 • Exports/Imports 206.9 • Reservoir Evaporation 19.3 • Evaporation CRSP Res. 120.0 TOTAL 1007.5

5. Potential Additional Depletion Approved Applications (Undeveloped) Applicant Quantity (Ac Ft) San Juan County WCD 30,000 Central Utah WCD 29,500 Board of W R (et al) 158,000* Wayne County WCD 50,000* Kane County WCD 30,000 Sanpete WCD 5,600 Uintah County WCD 5,000 Navajo Nation ? 80,000 Ute Tribe ? 105,000   TOTAL 493,100

6. Forfeiture Changes - 2008 • The state engineer may extend the time after 50 years for a public water supplier that shows the water is needed to meet the reasonable future requirements of the public. • The reasonable future requirement of the public is the amount of water needed in the next 40 years • The state engineer shall extend the time after 50 years if the applicant has constructed works to apply the water to beneficial use.

7. Current Utah Green River Policy • Surface Water - Groundwater Appropriations • Limited to fixed time and Temporary app • Non Consumptive use • Small Domestic only • 1 family • 1 acre irrigation • 10 livestock units • Change Applications • Colorado River Compact 1922 and 1948 • Upper Basin Flow Share - 1.369 M ac-ft/year • At least 7.5 M ac-ft/yr delivered to Lake Powell

8. Initial Biological OpinionRecovery Action Plan (RAP) • US Fish and Wildlife Service, • November 25 1992, BOR, CO and UT • Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPA) • Refine Flaming Gorge operation for flows and temps • Legally protect fish flows from FG to Lake Powell • Recommend Summer and Fall flows • 5 year study for Winter and Spring flows • Respect State law and policies • Avoid ESA Section 7 Consultation and Jeopardy

9. Utah Policy Change – Nov 1994 Upper Green River State Engineer Bob Morgan – Considered • Existing Water Rights 429 cfs, 112,000 ac-ft • Hydrology of River – FG, Yampa, tributaries • Interstate Compacts (1.369 M ac-ft for Utah) • Summer and Fall Flows only • Existing Flow BO recommendations 1992 • Availability of Water 3.0 M ac-ft @Jensen

10. Upper Colorado River Basin Ave Annual Flow Flows = Million Ac-Ft/Year 1 Million Ac-Ft/Year = 1384 cfs 1 cfs/year = 723 ac-ft Green = Intra State Flows Red = Inter State Flows 1.3 1.4 1.5 Vernal 3.0 0.4 Price 4.0 4.4 Green River Moab 9.6 Monticello Escalante 1.6 9.8

11. Upper Green River Policy 1994 • New WR Approvals • Subordinate to bypass of fish flows • Summer and Fall • Flows protected from FG to the Duchesne – Reach 1 • 1100 – 1800 cfs – 2400 cfs in wet years • 20 cfs set aside for contingency future needs • Rights prior to Nov 1994 not Subordinate • Review Release and RIPRAP for changes • Measure all flows at Jensen UT • Public meetings and comment period • Signed by Bob Morgan, State Engineer 1994

13. 2000 Flow Recommendations • Incorporated in Biological Opinion 2005 • Results of study 1990-2004 • 3 sections of river to Lake Powell • 4 season flow recommendations • 5 Hydrologic regimes and ranges flood – drought • Flows and temperatures from FG • RIPRAP element for 2004 Action Plan • Continued research and calibration • Adaptive Management

14. Reach 1 Reach 2 Reach 3

16. MINIMUM FLOW RECURRENCE AT JENSEN PRE 1962

19. Proposed Flow Protection 2009 • Protect Minimum flows for 4 seasons -Vernal • 800 (900) cfs Reach 1 and 2 – FG to the White • 1300 cfs Reach 3 – Duchesne to Lake Powell • Currently meeting these goals w/ existing op. • New Applications subject to minimum flow • BO minimum flow ranges and regimes ?? • BO spring peak flows ?? • Flows set aside for contingency future needs?? • Limit Storage to allow for natural spring flows?? • Limit movement of Water Rights Upstream?? • Instream fish flow Water Rights Law limited to • Changes of Perfected Water Right • Div of Wildlife, Parks and Fish Conservation Org.

20. ISSUES TO ADDRESS 2010 • Cooperation with RAP Partnership • Extend Fish Flow protection to Lake Powell • 2 policy changes Upper and Lower river • Agreement with the Biological Opinion -RPA • 3 river reaches • 4 seasons • 5 hydrological regimes and ranges • Coordination with the RIP • Compliance with the ESA • Respect State Water Law and Entitlements • Avoid Jeopardy and Section 7 consultation • Allow for fish flows and water development

21. PEAK FLOW RECURRENCE AT JENSEN 55 YEARS

23. STRATAGEY 2009-2011 • Public meetings – Vernal, Price, GR, Moab • Minimum Flows, limit storage and US moves • Present Policy – adopt for 3 stretches • Develop model with BoR for Spring Flows • Develop partnerships and Coordination • OPW – Other Peoples Water • Storage – Delivery – Water Banking - Funding • Water Rights ownership – expand limits • Water Service Contracts – DWRe, U and D Co. • Automation of Monitoring and Distribution Regulation • Water Acquisition Team • Future Development of Unperfected and Undeveloped • Upstream Development – Million, Climate Change • Colorado Compact, State Laws, Politics and Public • Work within Water Right Laws and State Entitlements

24. THE END – THANK YOU !

25. DIVISION OF WATER RIGHTS 801-538-7481 PO BOX 146300, SLC UT 84114 mattlindon@utah.gov www.waterrights.utah.gov