Upper Deschutes River

Measure CP-1: Crane Prairie Reservoir Operation: Crane Prairie Reservoir will be operated according to provisions A through F below for the entire term of the DBHCP. Water surface elevations will be measured at Hydromet Station CRA (OWRD Gage 14053500) at Crane Prairie Dam. Corresponding storage volumes are provided for reference only, and will not be used for verification of compliance with this measure. Flows will be measured at Hydromet Station CRAO (OWRD Gage 14054000) downstream of Crane Prairie Dam. A. From March 15 through July 15, the water surface elevation of Crane Prairie Reservoir will be maintained between 4,443.23 feet and 4,443.48 feet, which correspond to storage volumes of about 46,800 acre-feet and 48,000 acre-feet, respectively. B. From July 16 through July 31, the water surface elevation of Crane Prairie Reservoir may be lowered at a rate of no more than 0.05 foot per day. C. From August 1 through October 31, the water surface elevation of Crane Prairie Reservoir may be lowered at a rate of no more than 0.10 foot per day. D. From July 16 through October 31, the water surface elevation of Crane Prairie Reservoir will be no lower than elevation 4,441.23 feet (storage volume of about 37,870 acre-feet) and no higher than 4,443.48 feet (storage volume of about 48,000 acre-feet). E. From November 1 through March 14, the water surface elevation of Crane Prairie Reservoir will be increased from elevation 4,441.23 feet (storage volume of about 37,870 acre-feet) to at least 4,443.23 feet (storage volume of about 46,800 acre-feet), but no more than 4,443.48 feet (storage volume of about 48,000 acre-feet). F. The minimum instream flow in the Deschutes River between Crane Prairie Dam and Wickiup Reservoir (CRAO) will be 75 cfs at all times unless total inflow to the reservoir is not sufficient to maintain this level of instream flow and meet the water surface elevations requirements in Items A through D. When total inflow is not sufficient to maintain a minimum instream flow of 75 cfs and meet the water surface elevation requirements in Items A through D, the instream flow at CRAO may be reduced to 30 cfs. If total inflow to the reservoir is not sufficient to meet the water surface elevation requirements in Items A through D and maintain an instream flow of 30 cfs, the instream flow will remain at 30 cfs and the water surface elevation requirements in Items A through D will be relaxed until such time as inflow increases. G. For the term of the DBHCP, USFWS and COID will coordinate monthly on the implementation of this conservation measure. H. After coordination with and concurrence of USFWS, COID may release up to 5,000 acrefeet of additional stored water from Crane Prairie Reservoir for Oregon spotted frog flow management downstream of Wickiup Dam. Such releases of stored water may occur up to two times during Years 1 through 7 of DBHCP implementation, and once every 5 yearsthereafter. The timing and rate of release shall be determined through coordination with USFWS to minimize impacts to Oregon spotted frogs. These releases of stored water may be timed to serve the dual purpose of contributing water to the Oregon spotted frog flow management account in Wickiup Reservoir, and controlling undesirable plant and animal species in Crane Prairie Reservoir. If a release conducted under this Item H results in the lowering of Crane Prairie Reservoir at a rate faster than allowed by Items B and C of this conservation measure, COID shall be exempt from those limits during the release. If such a release causes the water surface elevation of Crane Prairie Reservoir to drop below 4,441.23 feet (storage volume of about 37,870 acre-feet), COID shall not be required to comply with Items A, D and E of this conservation measure until such time as the water surface elevation again reaches 4,443.23 feet (storage volume of about 46,800 acre-feet). However, COID shall make a good faith effort after a release to reach a water surface elevation of 4,443.23 feet in the reservoir by the first March 15 following the release. I. Reservoir water surface elevations and instream flows within the allowable ranges of deviation specified in Table CP-1 shall be considered in compliance with this conservation measure. However, values outside the required ranges specified in Table CP-1 shall be reported to USFWS as specified in DBHCP Section 7.2.1. Reservoir water surface elevations and instream flows outside the allowable ranges of deviation specified in Table CP-1 that are the result of release of additional stored water under Item H of this conservation measure shall not be considered out of compliance with this conservation measure. Measure WR-1: Wickiup Reservoir Operation: Wickiup Reservoir will be operated according to the following items. Except as otherwise indicated, flows and water surface elevations specified in this measure will be verified at Hydromet Station WICO (OWRD Gage 14056500) below Wickiup Dam. A. From April 1 through September 15, flow at WICO will be at least 600 cfs. An adaptive management element will be used to test whether going directly to 600 cfs by April 1 provides enhanced survival of OSF. In coordination with USFWS, flows may be set at 400 cfs by April 1 and increased to 600 cfs within the first 2 weeks of April. Annual snow pack, weather and in-stream conditions will inform this decision. B. From April 1 through April 30, flow at WICO shall not exceed 800 cfs unless USFWS or a biologist approved by USFWS and funded by the Permittees has verified that Oregon spotted frog eggs at Dead Slough in La Pine State Park have hatched or are physically situated in a portion of the slough where an increase in flow will not harm them. C. If the flow at WICO is increased above 600 cfs during the month of April, it will not subsequently be allowed to decrease more than 30 cfs, whether in a single flow adjustment or cumulatively over the course of multiple flow adjustments, until after April 30 or an earlier date approved after coordination with USFWS. D. From May 1 through June 30, flow decrease at WICO over any 5-day period shall be no more than 20 percent of total flow at the time the decrease is initiated. E. Flow at BENO gauge (OWRD Gage 14064500) shall be no less than 1,300 cfs from July 1 through at least September 15. F. For the first 7 years of DBHCP implementation, flow at WICO shall be at least 100 cfs from September 16 through March 31. Beginning in Year 1 of implementation, minimum flow at WICO from September 16 through March 31 shall be increased above 100 cfs in proportion to the amount of live Deschutes River flow made available to NUID during the prior irrigation season as a result of the piping of COID owned canals. For each acre-foot (or portion thereof) of live flow made available to NUID as a result of the piping of COID owned canals after the date of incidental take permit issuance, an equal volume of water shall be added to the minimum flow below Wickiup Dam from September 16 through March 31. This water shall be in addition to the amount of water needed to maintain a flow at WICO of at least 100 cfs. The timing for release of the additional water shall be determined in coordination with USFWS for optimal benefit to Oregon spotted frogs. G. Beginning no later than Year 8 of DBHCP implementation, flow at WICO shall be at least 300 cfs from September 16 through March 31, and not more than 1,400 cfs for more than 10 days per year between April 1 and September 15. If the volume of live Deschutes River flow made available to NUID as a result of the piping of COID owned canals exceeds the volume of water needed to increase the minimum flow at WICO from 100 to 300 cfs from September 16 through March 31, the minimum flow at WICO shall be increased above 300 cfs in proportion to the amount of additional water available and in the manner described in Item F of this conservation measure.The cap of 1,400 cfs on flow specified in this item is in addition to, and not a replacement for, any other caps on flow at WICO required under this conservation measure. If NUID anticipates the need to exceed 1,400 cfs at WICO in Years 8 through 12, it will contact USFWS in advance to discuss options for minimizing the adverse effects on the Deschutes River and Oregon spotted frogs, such as conditioning the rate or timing of flow increases above 1,400 cfs. H. Beginning no later than Year 13 of DBHCP implementation, minimum flow at WICO shall be between 400 cfs and 500 cfs from September 16 through March 31, with actual flow during this period determined according to the variable flow tool described below and in Section 7.3.3, Wickiup Reservoir and Upper Deschutes River, and not more than 1,200 cfs for more than 10 days per year between April 1 and September 15. The variable flow tool shall be developed collaboratively by USFWS and the Permittees in consultation with OWRD and Reclamation. USFWS must approve the final variable flow tool for use. A prototype of the variable flow tool shall be developed by the end of Year 10 of DBHCP implementation and tested in Years 11 and 12. The final variable flow tool shall be implemented beginning in Year 13. The variable flow tool shall be used to establish the September 16 to March 31 minimum flow at WICO each year based on available storage in Wickiup Reservoir at the beginning of the storage season and anticipated inflow to the reservoir during the storage season. Monitoring, reporting and adaptive management provisions for the variable tool shall also be developed by the end of Year 10. For purposes of this calculation, target reservoir storage volume at the end of the storage season shall never be less than 92,000 acre-feet. The cap of 1,200 cfs on flow specified in this item is in addition to, and not a replacement for, any other caps on flow at WICO required under this conservation measure in Years 13 and later. If NUID anticipates the need to exceed 1,200 cfs at WICO in Year 13 and later, it will contact USFWS in advance to discuss options for minimizing the adverse effects on the Deschutes River and Oregon spotted frogs, such as conditioning the rate or timing of flow increases above 1,200 cfs. I. For all years, the volume of water equivalent to the amount scheduled for winter releases in excess of 100 cfs may be stored in Wickiup Reservoir for release later in the same water year. These releases would be designed to provide the maximum conservation benefit to the covered species, based on the current condition of the covered lands. The timing of release of the stored water will be determined in coordination with USFWS, based on its review of potential benefits to Oregon spotted frogs and/or covered fish species. Water stored in this manner and released during the irrigation season will be treated as NUID storage and available for diversion by NUID at North Canal Dam. Water stored in this manner and not released for Oregon spotted frogs or fish by the end of the same water year can be used to meet the minimum flow requirements of this conservation measure at WICO through March 31 of the subsequent water year. Any water stored in this manner and not released to meet DBHCP minimum flow requirements by March 31 will become NUID storage and available for irrigation use. J. Whenever the flow at WICO is at or below 800 cfs, the maximum rate of increase in flow, as measured by change in water surface elevation at WICO, shall be 0.1 foot per 4-hour period, and the maximum rate of decrease shall be 0.2 foot per 12-hourperiod. In addition during fall ramp-down, flow reductions at WICO shall be halted for 5 days when the corresponding flow at BENO gage reaches 1,200, and again for 5 days when the corresponding flow at BENO reaches 1,100 cfs. K. Flows and water surface elevations at WICO and BENO within the allowable ranges of deviation specified in Table WR-1 shall be considered in compliance with this conservation measure; however, values outside the required ranges specified in Table WR-1 shall be reported to USFWS as specified in DBHCP Section 7.2.2. Flows outside the allowable ranges of deviation specified in Table WR-1 that are beyond the control of NUID and the other Permittees shall not be considered out of compliance with this conservation measure. L. For the term of the DBHCP, USFWS, NMFS and NUID will coordinate monthly on the implementation of this conservation measure. OWRD will also be invited to participate in this monthly coordination. * USFWS is not a water manager. All references here and elsewhere in this DBHCP regarding USFWS involvement in water management decisions are intended to define where USFWS technical assistance will be sought to remain in compliance with the Conservation Measures.