Colorado River Storage Project 

Flaming Gorge Working Group 

Meeting Minutes 

March 17, 2022 

Participation

This meeting was held Thursday, March 17, 2022, from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon. Due to the ongoing 

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic and Reclamation in-person meeting size limitations, the meeting was 

held via WebEx virtual meeting only. Attendees are listed below.

Purpose of Meeting 

The purpose of these working group meetings is to inform the public and other interested parties of 

Reclamation’s current and future operational plans and to gather information from the public regarding 

specific resources associated with Flaming Gorge Reservoir and the river corridor below it. In addition, 

the meetings are used to coordinate activities and exchange information among agencies, water users, and 

other interested parties concerning the Green River. 

General

Dale Hamilton United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m., 

noted that last year releases were made under the Drought Response Operations Agreement for the first 

time, discussed the purpose of the Flaming Gorge Working Group meetings, virtual meeting logistics, and 

introduced the meeting agenda and presenters. To avoid audio feedback, attendees were asked to 

introduce themselves via the chat function in the virtual meeting (attendees who identified themselves or 

were identified by their meeting attendee name were included in the list of attendees below). 

Dale noted that the Flaming Gorge Working Group has been meeting since the 1990s and was formalized 

in the 2005 final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and 2006 Record of Decision (ROD) as the 

public consultation portion of the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) process to review and 

gather input on ongoing study plans and adaptive management as we learn more about the system and the 

endangered fish. Typical Working Group meetings take place in April and August to present proposed 

(April meeting) and actual (August meeting) operations. These newer March meetings are intended to 

provide operational plans to the group earlier and provide more time for input. 

Hydrology & Forecasted Flaming Gorge Operations 

Nathaniel Todea, Hydraulic Engineer, U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Nathaniel presented information on Flaming Gorge and the 2022 forecasted hydrology and operations 

plan. 

The 1956 Colorado River Storage Project authorized construction of Flaming Gorge Dam and other 

projects for: allowing Upper Basin States to utilize their 1922 Colorado River Compact apportionments, 

regulating Colorado River (and main tributaries) flow, storing water for beneficial consumptive use, 

reclamation of arid and semiarid lands, flood control, and hydroelectric power generation. 

For operations, the Green River below Flaming Gorge is divided into three reaches: Reach 1 from 

Flaming Gorge Dam to the Yampa River confluence, Reach 2 from the Yampa River confluence to the 
White River confluence, and Reach 3 from the White River confluence to the confluence with the 

Colorado River. Flaming Gorge Releases are correlated to reach 1, and if reach 2 operational targets are 

met, reach 3 targets are assumed to be met.

Flaming Gorge operations follow a 4-step process. Step 1 is getting an official flow request from the Fish 

and Wildlife Service Upper Colorado Recovery Implementation Program (RIP) and an initial draft 

Flaming Gorge Operation Plan (FG Ops Plan) developed and sent to the Flaming Gorge Technical 

Working Group. Step 2 is to develop and finalize a Flaming Gorge Technical Working Group proposal. 

Step 3 (the step we’re currently on this year) is to share the proposal with and get comments from the 

Flaming Gorge Working Group. Step 4 is to finalize the Flaming Gorge Operation Plan. 

Snowpack above Flaming Gorge is at 82% of median snow water equivalent and Flaming Gorge is at 

78% of capacity. The March 1st runoff forecast for Flaming Gorge was at 540,000 acre-feet which puts 

Flaming Gorge in the Moderately Dry hydrologic classification. Snowpack in the Yampa and White 

River basins is at 89% of median which is a little better than the Upper Green. The March 1st forecast for 

the Yampa River (Maybell plus Lily) is 965,000 acre-feet, which is also Moderately Dry. The Colorado 

River Basin Forecast Center (CBRFC) also forecasts potential river flows in the Yampa at Deerlodge

based on current conditions; the current forecasts indicate that statistically, the Yampa is likely to peak 

May 18-25 8,500-10,000+ cfsd peak flow. 

The 2022 Recovery Program request provided 3 priorities for each of three sets of hydrologic 

classifications: average (below median) or drier, average (above median), and moderately wet or wet. 

Our current hydrology indicates we’ll most likely have moderately dry conditions this year which would 

align with the average (below median) or drier request for (priority 1) smallmouth bass flow spike, 

(priority 2) experimental base flows, and (priority 3) spring releases consistent with the Larval Trigger 

Study Plan (LTSP). The Larval Trigger Study Plan spring peak flows for the moderately dry scenario 

would have a peak flow at Jensen above 8,300 cfs. The Colorado Pikeminnow base flows for the 

Moderately Dry scenario would target 1,800-2,000 cfs. 

The Flaming Gorge Operation Plan for May 2022 through April 2023 is in draft form and will be 

finalized in early May after considering and incorporating comments. The most likely, Moderately Dry, 

scenario would have a spring release up to 4600 cfs; a small mouth bass flow (with a 1-day ramp from 

~850 cfs up to 4600 cfs, a 72-hour hold at 4600 cfs, and a 2000 cfs per day ramp down to ~850 cfs); and a 

Colorado Pikeminnow base flow of just under 2000 cfs. Slides showing releases for other hydrologic 

classifications were also presented. 

In response to a question about Pikeminnow flows being new this year (not being implemented last year) 

it was noted that the Colorado Pikeminnow flow request was not implemented last year due to the dry 

hydrologic classification, but the Drought Response Operations Agreement releases from Flaming Gorge 

ended up being similar to the requested flows. 

Dale briefly presented reservoir operations slides showing the range of potential Drought Response 

Operations Agreement releases this year, with Moderately Dry condition flows ranging from a “Minimum 

Release” of 850 cfs throughout most of the year with a spring peak at powerplant capacity up to a 

“Drought Response Operation Agreement (DROA) Upper Range” releases that would include a ramp up 

to ~2000 cfs before the LTSP peak, a prolonged, 31-day peak at full bypass release of ~8600 cfs, and 

elevated baseflows through next April of up to ~2000 cfs. The “DROA Upper Range” releases represent 

an upper limit of the flexibilities afforded in the Record of Decision and are not likely to occur. The 

“DROA A” release schedule is currently considered to be the most likely release schedule if DROA 

releases are to be made again this year; it includes a ramp up before the LTSP spring release, an LTSP 
spring release at full bypass capacity of ~8600 cfs for 7 to 8 days, then decreasing releases to powerplant 

capacity (~4600 cfs), and decreasing to baseflows for at least two weeks before implementing the 

smallmouth bass spike flow, with elevated baseflows through next April of up to ~2000 cfs. In response 

to a question about the difference between the blue “Proposed Plan” and the orange “DROA A” lines on 

the plot, it was stated that the blue is essentially a minimum DROA release, and the orange is a most 

likely DROA release.

There was a significant question/comment exchange. In response to a question, it was stated that 850 cfs 

was has historically been considered the minimum release due to rough zones in turbine operations 

occurring at lower flows. In response to a question about the difference between the blue “Proposed 

Plan” and red “Proposed Plan no DROA” lines, it was stated that the total release volumes for the 

scenarios are nearly the same—the timing of the release is the main difference with the blue “Proposed 

Plan” releasing a significant volume early to get water down to Lake Powell by December. In response to 

a question, it was stated that the presentation slides from this meeting would be shared (they were emailed 

to the group on March 17th following the meeting). There was some discussion about the DROA Upper 

Range and flexibilities afforded in the ROD for operations to that level; follow up conversations between 

WAPA and USBR may be needed. In response to a question about total volumetric release for each 

presented release scenario, Nathaniel provided numbers for the Moderately Dry classification scenarios, 

May 2022-May 2023: Proposed Plan no DROA: 849 thousand acre-feet (kaf); Proposed Plan: 857kaf; 

DROA A: 1383kaf. In response to a question as to why the upper range of releases drops off around the 

timing of the smallmouth bass flows instead of being more consistent through the year, it was stated that 

those are the maximum releases provided for in the Record of Decision and Environmental Impact 

Statement. It was commented that baseflows below 850 cfs cause significant issues for the rafting 

community; below 850 cfs is not a manageable flow to navigate Lodore Canyon, in particular. In response 

to a question on reservoir elevations, it was stated that the most significant impact to elevations will come 

in the elevated baseflow period and later in the year. In response to a question about the volume of the 

“DROA Upper Range”, it was stated that it would provide a little more than 600kaf in additional water to 

Lake Powell by the end of December and 900kaf additional water by April 2023; under the other 

scenarios, that additional volume is closer to 250-300kaf by December and 600kaf by April 2023. In 

response to a question of whether the lowest release on the graph is 850 cfs, it was replied that, yes, 850 

cfs is the lowest. A statement was made that Wyoming hasn’t agreed to any kind of release and is 

committed to not agreeing to any release until coordinating on impacts to the basin as a whole; from 

Wyoming’s perspective these options being presented are potentials and not agreed-to releases. A 

comment was made that with the Wild and Scenic River Designations on the Green River downstream, 

the planning process is beginning, and minimum flow rates are a big part of the planning; they are 

mandated by congress to maintain and or improve the flow conditions from the time of designation, 

which was 2019; interest was expressed in ensuring flows don’t go below 850 cfs for more than one day 

at a time and possibly discussing the potential of raising the minimum flow rate in the future. In response 

to a statement that it was hard to tell what “DROA Upper Range” base flows would be, it was stated 

they’d be around 1800-2100 cfs. In response to a question as to when WAPA would receive the 

hydrographs for with and without Green River Evaluation and Assessment Team (GREAT) experiments 

implemented (they had requested to receive the hydrographs before the meeting to perform a financial 

impact analysis), it was stated the plan is to have the hydrographs out by the end of the week. Colorado 

River Energy Distributors Association (CREDA) commented that the RIP as a group has not approved the 

GREAT report and is hesitant to do a lot under the GREAT report until the RIP has approved it; it was 

also noted that CREDA and the CRSP customers are in a much different position than last year: in

December 2021 a new rate case took effect which moves the risk of replacement power directly to the 
customers; WAPA needs the hydrographs to determine the financial impacts to the Basin Fund and what 

quantities of power will be available to customers, and with the new change, there are direct impacts to 

individual customers including the 54 tribes that are CRSP customers that will result from any release or 

experiment changes; the hydrographs are important to determine impacts and plan to try to mitigate those 

impacts. In response to a question about the maximum release without using the bypass, it was stated that 

it’s about 4600 cfs. In response to a question about what mechanisms are in place to keep minimum 

releases above 850 cfs (in relation to the Wild and Scenic designation), it was stated that the EIS and 

ROD set minimum dam releases at 800 cfs; the 2000 Flow and Temperature Recommendations have 800 

cfs as the minimum release from Flaming Gorge Dam, and 900 as the minimum at Jensen with 1300 cfs 

recommended as the minimum target in Reach 3; the lower limit, 23 cubic meters per second (~812 cfs) is 

set by an agreement with the State of Utah to maintain a high-quality trout fishery in dam tailwaters

(documented in the 2000 Flow and Temperature Recommendations). In response to whether the Wild 

and Scenic Rivers designation is already in place, it was stated that yes, the 2019 Dingle Act designated 

suitable reaches as Wild and Scenic: 5.3 miles of Wild, 8.5 miles of Recreation, and 49.2 miles of Scenic 

on the Green River; links to information were shared: https://eplanning.blm.gov/public_projects/nepa/150

1021/20004559/250005414/2019September6_INFO_FLYER_GREEN_RIVER.pdf, 

https://www.rivers.gov/utah.php. 

Dale briefly presented release scenarios (Minimum Release, Proposed Plan, DROA A, and DROA Upper 

Range) for the other hydrologic classifications (Dry, Average Below Median, Average Above Median, 

and Moderately Wet), and showed the Flaming Gorge critical elevations projections from the March 2022 

24-month study inflow scenarios including a possible DROA A projection (gray line). Critical elevations 

of boat ramps, restrooms, canyon accessibility, etc. are being considered in Drought Response Operations 

Agreement discussions. In response to a chat comment noting that Flaming Gorge is currently at 

elevation 6018 feet and that the plan sent out earlier stated that it would not be dropped below 6017.72 (a 

4 inches below current) and expressing interest in elevation projections for the scenarios and asking if 

they’d be completed and available by the April meeting, it was stated that the hope is to have them by the 

April Working Group Meeting; under the DROA releases, the elevation would go below elevation 

6017.72 feet. A question asked what the critical elevation for power production is, it is elevation 5890 

feet (minimum pool for power generation). 

Drought Response Operations Planning 

Dale Hamilton, Division Manager, U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Dale presented information on the background of the DROA, the Drought Response Operations (DRO) 

Plan Development, and the DRO Plan Development schedule and how it all dovetails into the Flaming 

Gorge Working Group. 

The Colorado Basin is experiencing its 22nd year of drought. It has been the driest 22-year period on 

record. The combined storage of Lake Powell and Lake Mead has dropped from 95% full in 1999 to 28% 

full in 2022. Lake Powell elevation has dropped from 95% full in 1999 to elevation 3525 feet on March 

14, 2022 (the elevation that the Drought Response Operations Agreement was intended to protect). Lake 

Mead elevations have decreased from 95% full in 1999 to 34% of capacity in 2022. 

When the Flaming Gorge Working Group met last August, Lake Powell projections (from the June 2021 

24-Month Study) indicated a 79% chance of elevations going below elevation 3525 feet, which triggered 

drought response operations last July. The current 24-Month Study projections show Lake Powell 

elevations below elevation 3525 feet for a month or so then coming back up above 3525 but returning 
below 3525 feet again next year, with minimum probable projections approaching and even crossing the 

minimum power pool elevation of 3490 feet. 

The DROA is an element of the DCP to address water elevations in key Colorado River reservoirs. The 

purpose is to minimize the risk of Lake Powell falling below the target elevation of 3525 feet (35 feet 

above the minimum power pool elevation of 3490 feet) and thereby fulfill compact obligations, maintain 

hydropower production, and minimize adverse effects to resources and infrastructure. The Agreement 

also directed Upper Basin States and Reclamation to develop a Drought Response Operations Plan. Since 

July and August, Reclamation and the Upper Basin states have been developing a Plan. The Drought 

Response Operations Plan has two parts: (1) the Plan Framework which provides general, static guidance 

including authorities and outlines what information should be included in Plan Attachments, and (2) the 

Plan Attachments which are specific to operations for a specific year and are developed each spring with 

adjustments as needed (similar to the development of the Flaming Gorge Operation Plan) based on 

hydrologic conditions. The Drought Response Operations Plan Framework has been largely completed 

and was presented at a January 28, 2022, webinar (a recording of the webinar can be found at 

https://www.usbr.gov/dcp/droa.html). The Plan Attachments for this year are still in development.

Information on Drought Response Operations Plan schedule was presented: the Plan Framework webinar 

was held Jan. 28th and public comments on the Plan Framework were due Feb. 18, the Drought Response 

Operations Agreement including the Plan Attachments are scheduled to be available on Apr. 15th and 

finalized on Apr. 29th. The Flaming Gorge Operation Plan schedule will be similar to past years: Flaming 

Gorge Working Group flow requests or comments for the Plan are due by the Apr. 19th Working Group 

Meeting, with Reclamation incorporating requests/comments and finalizing the Plan by May 2nd. The 

Flaming Gorge Operation Plan will include Drought Response Operations Plan operations specific to 

Flaming Gorge. Please submit any comments on the Draft Flaming Gorge Operation Plan 

operations and potential impacts in writing to Dale Hamilton (DTHamilton@usbr.gov) and/or 

Nathaniel Todea (NTodea@usbr.gov) by April 19th (the sooner the better). 

In 2021, an additional 161,000 acre-feet of DROA water was released from upstream Initial Unit 

reservoirs: 125,000 acre-feet from Flaming Gorge, and 36,000 acre-feet from Blue Mesa. The additional 

releases for 2022 are still being determined. The states and Reclamation are looking at potential releases 

from Flaming Gorge; the releases will be limited based on the hydrologic condition; release limitations of 

the Environmental Impact Statement, Record of Decision and study plans; as well as coordination with 

the Recovery Program and this Flaming Gorge Working Group. From Flaming Gorge, the additional 

releases could vary from 0 acre-feet additional release to about 600,000 acre-feet of additional release 

which would be released primarily during the spring peak and elevated baseflow period. There is still an 

option for the Secretary of the Interior to declare an emergency which could lead to releases outside the 

mentioned limitations; but this possibility is not likely to happen. Coordination with State and local 

partners will continue.

In response to a question about how the proposed schedule comports with the schedule of the publication 

of the April 24-Month Study, it was stated that it is a tight schedule, but the DROA 2022 Plan cannot be 

finalized until after the April 24-Month Study. In response to a comment that in February WAPA 

submitted a flow request letter to the Bureau outlining WAPA’s priorities for water releases from Flaming 

Gorge this spring, summer, and fall (including DROA releases), and would like to hear back on how the 

request gets considered within the development of the Operations Plan and DROA, it was stated that there 

is a lot going on and a lot to consider but Reclamation will make sure the request is considered in the 

plan. In response to a question about how the new (1991-2020) average snow water equivalent compares 

to the old (1981-2010) average, it was stated that the new average is lower but, in the Upper Green basin, 
it wasn’t as significant of a decrease as was seen in other basins that feed into Lake Powell. In response 

to a question about if there are any findings from Airborne Snow Observatory observations, it was stated 

that it hasn’t taken place in the Upper Green basin. It was commented that in addition to submitting 

comments to Reclamation, comments can also be submitted to the State of Wyoming at the Wyoming 

State Engineer’s office, Interstate Streams Division.

Roundtable General Discussion/Q&A

Dale opened the meeting for any discussion, comments, or questions—similar to other Reclamation 

working groups—group by group. USGS Utah Water Science Center’s Ryan Rowland (rrowland@usgs) 

is available to answer any USGS streamflow questions. CREDA encouraged and offered to put 

Reclamation in touch with utility members that are in the process of determining the impacts of rates and 

drought to their utilities. BLM Price Field Office looks forward to working more closely as they continue 

Wild and Scenic River planning. (Most entities didn’t have additional comments.) 

Next Meeting

• Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at 9:00 am via WebEx virtual meeting

• Thursday, August 18, 2022, at 10:00 am via WebEx virtual meeting (tentative)

(A chat comment was made that the August meeting may conflict with a Glen Canyon Adaptive 

Management Work Group (AMWG) Meeting.)

Attendees

Steve Craig Fisherman

Woody Bair Flaming Gorge Resort 

Cody Perry Friends of the Yampa

Hattie Johnson American Whitewater

Tim Gaylord Holiday River Expeditions 

Darren Bowcutt GROGA, WRF Guides

Tony Valdez Buckboard Marina at FG

John Rauch Cedar Springs Marina

Jerry Taylor Lucerne Valley Marina

Damien Taylor Lucerne Valley Marina

Brant Williams Lucerne Valley Marina

Jessica Williams Lucerne Valley Marina

Luke Wilson GROGA

Simone Griffin BlueRibbon Coalition 

Bruce Lavoie OARS

Bart Miller Western Resource Adv.

Laura Belanger Western Resource Adv.

Grizz Oleen Caerus Oil and Gas LLC

Ted Rampton 

Quinn Kirby Dumas/Jicarilla Apache N.

George Gavrielides Southern Ute Tribe 

Kevin Bestgen Colorado State University 

Matt Cazier Uintah County 

Jenny Swenson Grand County Sheriff’s Ofc 

Ryan Kelly FG Chamber of Commerce 

Mark Kot Rock Springs WWDC

Michelle Garrison Colorado Water Cons. Brd. 

Jared Hansen Cent. Utah Water Cons. Dist. 

Dave Kanzer Col. Riv. Water Cons. Dist. 

Emily Halvorsen State of Colorado 

Colleen Cunningham New Mexico ISC

Darrell Gillman Utah Dept. Ag. And Food 

Ryan Jones Utah Dept. Ag. And Food 

Andrew Dutson Utah Div. Water Rights

Trina Hedrick Utah Div. Wildlife Resrc.

Matt Breen Utah Div. Wildlife Resrc.

Ryan Mosley Utah Div. Wildlife Resrc.

John Walrath Wyo. Game and Fish Dept. 

Robb Keith Wyo. Game and Fish Dept. 

Chris Brown State of Wyoming

Leslie James Col. Riv. Energy Dist. Assoc 

George Weekley U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service 

Tildon Jones U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Julie Stahli U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service 

Chrystal Dean Western Area Power Admin.

Derek Fryer Western Area Power Admin.

Shane Capron Western Area Power Admin.

Brenda Alcorn Col. Basin Riv. Forecast Ctr. 

Jason Griswold Nat. Park Service 

Rob Billerbeck Nat. Park Service 

Melissa Trammell Nat. Park Service 

Mark Wondzell Nat. Park Service 

Jaydon Mead Bureau of Land Management 

Jessica Farmer Bureau of Land Management 

Kevin Clegg U. S. Forest Service

Stephanie Anderson U. S. Forest Service
Marshall Alford U. S. Forest Service

Jayson Roundy U. S. Forest Service

Coleson Kastelic U. S. Forest Service

Logan Linnan U. S. Forest Service

Brett Heath U. S. Forest Service

Aaron Selig U. S. Forest Service

Ron Griffiths U. S. Geological Survey 

Ryan Rowland U. S. Geological Survey 

Chris Cutler U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Chris Watt U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Dale Hamilton U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Dave Klein U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Dave Speas U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Ed Warner U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Erik Knight U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Gary Henrie U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Heather Patno U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Jared Baxter U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Kent Kofford U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Mark Delorey U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Nanette Gale U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Nathaniel Todea U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Peter Crookston U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Rick Baxter U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Ryan Christianson U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Scott Elliott U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Susan Behery U. S. Bureau of Reclamation