Flaming Gorge Technical Working Group

March 6, 2013, 9:00am

Conference Call Record

Attending: 

Fish and Wildlife Service: Kevin McAbee, 

UCRIP – Tom Chart, Jana Mohrman, Kevin Bestgen, Tildon Jones, Matt Breen

Reclamation – Heather Hermansen, Dave Speas, Peter Crookston, Ed Vidmar

Western – Jerry Wilhite

Argonne National Labs – Kirk LaGory

Agenda:

• Current Hydrology in the Green and Yampa River Basins

• Recovery Program flow request

• Draft FGTWG Proposed Flow and Temperature Recommendations for 2013

Overview:

The primary purpose of the call was to discuss the details of implementing the Recovery 

Program’s research request (LTSP) and managing floodplains for endangered fish during 

the spring and base flow period under current forecast conditions. Heather Hermansen 

led the meeting. 

Hydrology Discussion:

Heather Hermansen reviewed current forecast and snowpack conditions. spring and 

summer/fall basin hydrology and Flaming Gorge reservoir operations information. The 

March forecast for unregulated inflow to Flaming Gorge during the April – July season is 

550kaf (~84% exceedence) and is trending down. This forecast corresponds to the lower 

end of Moderately Dry hydrologic classification. The Yampa River at Maybell and Little 

Snake at Lily forecast for April-July season is 740 kaf (~86% exceedance) with similar 

conditions as the Upper Green. Current forecasts, snowpack and hydrology closely 

resemble last year with even drier antecedent soil moisture conditions. Heather 

recommended operating in the dry hydrologic classification for the spring season. 

Heather mentioned that Reclamation has an operational policy not to use the spillway 

because of O&M concerns. Using the March final forecast, Heather calculates seven 

days at powerplant capacity with a base flow of 850 cfs, although she anticipates this will 

decrease if the forecast continues trending dry. 

Heather presented to the group the need to discuss the use of bypass to meet Reach 2 

targets this year in light of the dry hydrology. Jerry Wilhite (Western) suggested that 

because of the dry forecasts that operations return to matching the peak of the Yampa 

without bypassing rather than recreate last year’s operation. This opened up the 

discussion of improved management strategies at the Stewart Lake and Old Charlie Wash

floodplains, the targeted floodplains outlined in the LTSP to be targeted for research in 

dry years.
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Floodplain Discussion:

Stewart Lake:

Matt Breen (UDWR) discussed last year’s connection to the Stewart Lake floodplain. 

Stewart Lake would normally connect at 7,500 cfs at the inlet. The inlet channel was 

largely blocked due to several hundred meters of sedimentation that occurred during 

2011. UDWR did excavate some sediment at the inlet and a minimal volume of water 

did get through the inlet channel to the floodplain. The bulk of the entrainment of larvae 

during the 2012 spring peak occurred through the outlet structure because of the 

sedimentation at the inlet channel. The floodplain successfully entrained larvae last year 

but drought conditions prevailed and the fish didn’t survive. 

UDWR discussed an improved management strategy for entrainment into and 

maintenance of larvae in Stewart Lake floodplain. The strategy would be to use the 

LTSP releases from Flaming Gorge to provide an initial fill of and entrain larvae into 

Stewart Lake and the pump additional water into the lake to maintain water levels. 

UDWR has a water agreement with Reclamation for 1,000 acre-feet of water from Red 

Fleet to be used for selenium management in Stewart Lake. This water would be 

available to maintain water in Stewart Lake and maintain survival over the summer. 

Dave Speas mentioned that Kerry Schwartz with Reclamation’s Provo Area Office would 

like to communicate further with the Service regarding use of Red Fleet water. He 

suggested convening a Red Fleet working group to coordinate activities this summer.

Matt discussed UDWR’s new management strategies to keep the floodplain filled with 

water as long as possible over the summer and reintroduce the razorback into the river. 

There is some concern that the outlet channel will have water pockets and ponds that may 

capture the fish during reintroduction and hinder survival. 

Kevin McAbee (Service) agreed that there was successful entrainment and connection in 

a dry year last year from a water management standpoint. He advocated learning from 

last year’s successful entrainment and implementing new strategies this year throughout 

the summer for fish survival. Matt Breen agreed that UDWR would like to repeat the 

study with modifications to ascertain potentially different results under dry conditions. 

The 1,000 acre-feet of water from Red Fleet should be adequate to maintain water 

elevations in Stewart Lake’s 570 acres. Dave Speas asked if there were past records 

available on Red Fleet water and selenium management. Matt Breen was going to see if 

he could find any historic information.

Ed Vidmar (Reclamation) let everyone know that the 1,000 acre-feet of water is 

guaranteed. He mentioned that Red Fleet is 19 feet lower this year than last with a 60% 

of average forecast. Using water this year means there may be less water in 2014 for 

selenium treatment. However, drawdown for selenium treatment is seen as positive from 

a fisheries management perspective. 
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Old Charlie Wash: 

Tildon Jones (Service) discussed the Old Charlie Wash floodplain connection. Old 

Charlie connects at 5,000 cfs at the outlet, which is a single-breach downstream wetland 

connection. It has a control gate structure at the outlet that allows the floodplain to be 

dewatered before larval razorback sucker entrainment. This allows the Service to open 

the control gate during larval presence and connect to the river for 4-5 days during the 

peak, after which the gate is closed to maintain water in the floodplain. Last year they 

documented survival of larvae in Old Charlie for about a month and to a size bigger than 

seen before. The Service has the capability to pump water from the river into the 

floodplain to maintain survivability over the summer. This has been a learning process 

and the goal is to keep the razorback alive as long as possible.

Tildon discussed the Service’s similar strategy for Old Charlie Wash where they plan to 

keep the floodplain filled over the summer and reintroduce the fish to the river as they 

reach YOY stages big enough to survive rather than over-winter the fish. The time frame 

for reintroduction is August or September. The working hypothesis is that as the larval 

fish transform to YOY and reach the juvenile stage there is a better chance for survival 

when they are reintroduced to the river.

Base flow Discussion:

Jerry Wilhite mentioned that it looks drier this year than last. Last year’s base flows were 

higher in the summer to assist Colorado pikeminnow. Base flows between 800-850 cfs 

are not good for the pikeminnow and there is uncertainty in razorback sucker survival, 

even with the improved management plans and strategies. Kevin McAbee agreed that the 

currently scheduled base flows are not good for pikeminnow, which need between 1,500-

1,800 cfs in Reach 2. He acknowledged that flows this year can’t be used for both 

razorback sucker and the pikeminnow. 

Kevin Bestgen would like to see the LTSP implemented again this year with the 

supplemental water available. The research may invalidate the concept that there are 

various years for various species. Researchers did see fish showing up in the middle and 

lower Green River sections in 2012. Kirk LaGory questioned the origin of the 2012 fish 

and wondered if they were using the margin habitat in the lower Green. He agreed that 

holding the fish until they reached 2-3 inches in length and then reintroducing them to the 

river would help survival. Kevin Bestgen mentioned that the sampling is easier and 

research is more tractable in a dry year. 

Kirk discussed the 2012 transection survey and habitat availability results. He mentioned 

that the range of 1,000 cfs to 1,400 or 1,500 cfs provides good habitat availability. 

Habitat in Reach 2 would remain the same without large peak releases this year. Kirk 

will present his findings at the next meeting. He suggested the group rely on habitat 

availability relationships to make a decision. The 2013 survey is done with the first 

round at Thunder Ranch. There are new relationships to look at in the next couple of 

weeks. It may be a moot point by the next meeting, but good to know. 

Recommendation:

The group recommends similar operations to last year while implementing improved

management strategies and maintaining wetlands through the summer. Matt Breen will 
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email information on the Red Fleet water agreement and additional details on the use of 

the water and discuss it further at the next meeting. 

Next Steps:

The next meeting was scheduled for Friday, April 6, at 9:00 a.m.