Experimental Options 

Experimental Options 

FY 07

- FY11

SPG/TWG Meetings SPG/TWG Meetings

May 23

-35, 2006 35, 2006

GCMRC
Background and Pur

Background and Pur

 Background: Background: MLFF has been the MLFF has been the 

“Prefe

Pref

Alternative Alternative

” flow regime for 10 years, bu

flow regime for 10 years, bu

have not been evaluated yet (variable ran

have not been evaluated yet (variable ran

hydrology, sediment inputs, release temp

hydrology, sediment inputs, release temp

 Purpose: Purpose: Identify a suite of flow and non flo

Identify a suite of flow and non flo

be implemented or tested in FY 07 be implemented or tested in FY 07

-11

 Provides foundation for 5 Year Mo Provides foundation for 5 Year Monitoring and Res

nitoring and Res

07

-08 AWP

 General Goals of Options: General Goals of Options: 

 Evaluate policies that will Evaluate policies that will likely improve resource co

improve resource co

 Enhance understanding (learning) Enhance understanding (learning) of relationship be

 of relationship be

action and target resource action and target resource 

 Developed cooperatively w/ SPG Developed cooperatively w/ SPG
Experimental Options Co

Experimental Options Co

1. Continue MLFF in spring/summer/ fall, w

experiments + BHBF in winter/spring + lim

+ lim

actions actions

2. Continue MLFF Continue MLFF in spring and summer, w/ 

in spring and summer, w/ 

experiments + BHBF in winter/spring + experiments + BHBF in winter/spring + sta

sta

& October & October + limited suite of mgt actions + limited suite of mgt actions

3. Increased fluctuating flows Increased fluctuating flows in summer and 

in summer and 

in fall + in fall + expanded expanded suite of management actio

suite of management actio

4. Seasonally adjusted steady flows througho

spring BHBF + limited suite of mgt actions + limited suite of mgt actions

5. Seasonally adjusted steady flows impleme

incrementally + spring BHBF + limited suite 

+ limited suite 
No Action Alternativ

No Action Alternativ

Continue evaluating MLFF, the 1995 Final E

Alternative” (possibly with future BHBF teswinter/spring under sand enriched conditions) under sand enriched conditions)

 Scientifically the least confounded appro

Scientifically the least confounded appro

 Builds on previous learning Builds on previous learning tied to baseline opera

tied to baseline opera

 Provides continuity with Phase IV (2003 Provides continuity with Phase IV (2003

-2006) ac

2006) ac

 Understand the effect of natu Understand the effect of natural warming and tro

ral warming and tro

 Could include actions to benefit resource

Could include actions to benefit resource

 HBC (translocation, refuge, TC HBC (translocation, refuge, TCD, exotic fish man

D, exotic fish man

 Sediment conservation (winter/spring BHBF) Sediment conservation (winter/spring BHBF)

 Follows Secretary Follows Secretary’s mandate to evaluate R

s mandate to evaluate R
SPG Option A SPG Option A

Enhanced Fluctuating Flows (9 months), in co

Enhanced Fluctuating Flows (9 months), in co

ecologically stable flows (3 months), w/ Enr

ecologically stable flows (3 months), w/ Enr

(winter/spring) (winter/spring)

 Provides resource improvements using a sui

Provides resource improvements using a sui

flow actions flow actions 

 late summer late summer-fall steady flows fall steady flows  exotic fish control exotic fish control  augmentation planning augmentation planning translocation, translocation,  TCD Sediment conservation (BHBF) Sediment conservation (BHBF)

 Increased fluctuating flows in winter and su

Increased fluctuating flows in winter and su

 Hydropower generation during periods of hi

Hydropower generation during periods of hi

 Aquatic food base production and delivery (R

Aquatic food base production and delivery (R

 Rainbow trout fishery below GCD Rainbow trout fishery below GCD

 Short-term experiments ( term experiments (ponding ponding, etc)
Option A: SPG Agree

 Continued BHBF Testing w/ New T

Continued BHBF Testing w/ New T

Guidelines Guidelines

 Steady Flow Tests in Sep, Oct and po

Steady Flow Tests in Sep, Oct and po

 Define ecologically steady Define ecologically steady Short duration spike flow test Short duration spike flow test Maintain 7,000 Maintain 7,000 cfs minimum minimum

 HBC Augmentation Planning HBC Augmentation Planning

 Addresses refuge development; genetic mgt 

Addresses refuge development; genetic mgt 

plan, and facilities plan, and facilities

 Future augmentation determined by FWS Future augmentation determined by FWS
Option A: SPG Agreemen

 Mechanical removal as needed Mechanical removal as needed 

 Target: all problematic species; inclu

Target: all problematic species; inclu

 GCMRC will develop plan (coordinat

GCMRC will develop plan (coordina

 Include public outreach Include public outreach

 Experimental Design Experimental Design

 Forward titration Forward titration Long term design determined in 2011 

Long term design determined in 2011 

comes online comes online
Option A: Other Elem

 MLFF modifications MLFF modifications

 2X increase in 2X increase in downramp downramp rate (Nov rate (Nov-A Increase diurnal fluctuat Increase diurnal fluctuating ranges fro

ing ranges fro

allowed of 8,000 allowed of 8,000 cfs, to ranges up to 

, to ranges up to 

 Ecologically steady flows in late summ

Ecologically steady flows in late summ

 Possible Mini Experiments: Possible Mini Experiments:

 Summer Stranding Flows Summer Stranding Flows Ponding Ponding flows (high water years) flows (high water years) Operational parameters Operational parameters
SPG Option B SPG Option B 

Seasonally adjusted steady flows implemented in

Seasonally adjusted steady flows implemented in

the entire year + spring BHBF + limited sui

the entire year + spring BHBF + limited sui

 Implements seasonally adjusted stable flows ove

conjunction with TCD and non-native fish contr

 Incorporates BHBFs (if they will not impact YO Expected resource benefits:

 Restore rearing habitat for YOY HBC Maintains positive mass balance of sand

 Aimed at providing resource benefits and addres

questions related to Goals 1 (food base), 2 (hum(water temperature, quality and flow dynami(recreation), and 11 (cultural resources)

 Increased impact to power generation
Probable Resource Res

Probable Resource Res

 Sediment Sediment

– moderately increased ra

moderately increased ra

export under Option A export under Option A versus sign

sign

reduction in sand export under Op

reduction in sand export under Op

associated with daily releases. Opti

associated with daily releases. Opti

greater probability of promoting m

greater probability of promoting m

accumulation of new tributary sand 

accumulation of new tributary sand 

channel prior to BHBF testing, wit

channel prior to BHBF testing, wit

potential for more robust sand bar 

potential for more robust sand bar 
Probable Resource Res

Probable Resource Res

 Water Temperature Water Temperature

– Option B ha

Option B ha

probability of promoting increased 

probability of promoting increased 

and main channel warming after wa

and main channel warming after wa

released from GCD in summer/fal

released from GCD in summer/fal

slower flow velocities and greater p

slower flow velocities and greater p

shoreline stability in the vicinity of 

shoreline stability in the vicinity of 

and other areas where flow stagnat

and other areas where flow stagnat
Probable Resource Res

Probable Resource Res

 Productivity and Drift Productivity and Drift

– Option B 

Option B 

probability of promoting increased 

probability of promoting increased 

owing to more stable flows, but Op

owing to more stable flows, but Op

result in increased levels of drifting 

result in increased levels of drifting 

matter under wider fluctuating flow 

matter under wider fluctuating flow 

more varied than Option B. more varied than Option B.
Probable Resource Res

Probable Resource Res

 Recreational Boating & Camping Recreational Boating & Camping

– 

has greater probability of promotin

has greater probability of promotin

retention and access to camping are

retention and access to camping are

with sand bars that are inundated to 

with sand bars that are inundated to 

degree on a daily basis. Navigation 

degree on a daily basis. Navigation 

to campsites will probably be less p

to campsites will probably be less p

under more widely ranging daily flu

under more widely ranging daily flu

flows associated with Option A. flows associated with Option A.
Probable Resource Res

Probable Resource Res

 Arch Site Preservation Arch Site Preservation

– Option B has g

Option B has g

probability of promoting incr probability of promoting increased trans

eased trans

wind near preservation sites where in wind near preservation sites where in-sit

sit

is of interest. This owes to the greater is of interest. This owes to the greater a

sand deposits that remain consistently d

sand deposits that remain consistently d

spring/summer (when windy conditions 

spring/summer (when windy conditions 

Option A, with more widely varied river 

Option A, with more widely varied river 

throughout windy season, results in larg

throughout windy season, results in larg

bar areas. This condition is thought to li

bar areas. This condition is thought to li

transport to higher elevations containing 

transport to higher elevations containing 

sites and this might be particularly impo

sites and this might be particularly impo

beach deposition (after BHBF test). beach deposition (after BHBF test).
Probable Resource Res

Probable Resource Res

 Humpback Chub Humpback Chub

– Option B will p

Option B will p

greater shoreline stability and highe

greater shoreline stability and highe

and backwater temperatures which 

and backwater temperatures which 

benefit HBC spawning and recruitm

benefit HBC spawning and recruitm

A includes a broader set of non A includes a broader set of non

-flo

flo

which are aimed at expanding the r

which are aimed at expanding the r

(translocation), providing a safegua

(translocation), providing a safegua

catastrophic population decline. O

catastrophic population decline. O

limit RBT reproduction (trout supp

limit RBT reproduction (trout supp

flows) which may benefit HBC. flows) which may benefit HBC.
Probable Resource Res

Probable Resource Res

 Lees Ferry Trout Fishery Lees Ferry Trout Fishery

– Option 

Option 

increase aquatic productivity and ov

increase aquatic productivity and ov

biomass. Option A should increase 

biomass. Option A should increas

food and may result in fewer, but la

food and may result in fewer, but la
Probable Resource Res

Probable Resource Res

 Hydropower Capacity Hydropower Capacity

– Option B i

Option B 

costly experimental flow regime rel

costly experimental flow regime rel

hydropower resource. It has been 

hydropower resource. It has been 

have a potential impact to the Colo

have a potential impact to the Colo

Basin fund that may be 3 to 6 times 

Basin fund that may be 3 to 6 time

(negative impact on the CR Basin F

(negative impact on the CR Basin F

from increased replacement power 

from increased replacement power 

the benefit (reduced impact on the 

the benefit (reduced impact on the 

Fund) associated with operations u

Fund) associated with operations u

A.