Instream Flow Water Rights in the Snake and Salt River Basins. Paul Dey, Wyoming Game and Fish Department

Transcription

1 Instream Flow Water Rights in the Snake and Salt River Basins Paul Dey, Wyoming Game and Fish Department

2 Snake/Salt River Basin Instream Flow Water Rights Basis for instream flow work Segments, quantities, dates Questions

3 Mission: Conserving Wildlife - Serving People

4 Fish Division Mission As stewards of Wyoming s aquatic resources, we are committed to conservation and enhancement of all aquatic wildlife and their habitats for future generations through scientific resource management and informed public participation. We will use an integrated program of protection, regulation, propagation, restoration, and control to provide diverse, quality fisheries resources and angling opportunities. Our efforts will balance the productive capacity of habitats with public desires

5 Our Charge... report those segments of stream which have the most critical need for instream flows (from (b)) We have interpreted this to mean important sport fisheries like the Salt River More recently, native trout fisheries Yellowstone, Bonneville and Colorado River Cutthroat trout.

6 Instream Flow Water Right Process Game and Fish Identify stream segments for instream flow Perform studies to identify flows to maintain or improve fisheries Water Development Sign the Instream Flow water right application and submit it to the SEO. Assess feasibility of recommended flow quantities. Hold the IF water right in the name of the State Game and Fish and Water Development present study results Public provides views and any additional information for the SEO to consider relative to the instream flow application State Engineer Public Hearing Assign priority date Schedule and conduct a public hearing State Engineer Decision Board of Control Adjudication

7 Instream Flow Water Right Process Game and Fish (89 IF applications since 86, recently submitted 5 for Water Development Greybull basin streams) State Engineer 26 approved 63 await decisions Public Hearing 4 adjudicated State Engineer Decision Board of Control Adjudication

8 89 filings on 88 segments covering 417 miles Segments range from 0.1 to 22.3 miles in length Priority dates range from 1986 to June 2003

9 Snake/ Salt Instream Flow Segments Fish Creek #1 & #2 Jackson Salt River Alpine Thayne Afton Greys River

10 Salt River Field studies in 1989 January 1993 Priority Date April 1997 Public Hearing

11 2.6 milelong instream flow segment Alpine Salt River

12 Salt River Instream flow water right filing for 221 cfs year-round

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17 Greys River Field studies in 1992 October 1993 Priority Date April 1997 Public Hearing October 1998: IF water right Adjudication??

18 Greys River Alpine 10.1 mile segment

19 Greys River 204 cfs for July 1 March cfs April 1 to June 30

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21 Fish Creek Private Land - Requested by Crescent H Ranch and Tom Rossetter (2 segments) Field studies in 1991 October 1993 Priority Date April 1997 Public Hearing

22 Fish Creek #1, 0.6 Mile Jackson Fish Creek #2, 1.5 Mile

23 Instream flow filing for 150 cfs year-round, both segments

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25 Flow measurements

26 Future No IF studies planned for Snake/Salt basins in 2004 If important fisheries are identified and an instream flow water right would provide protection then WGFD may do future studies.