FLAHG – Proposal to Amend 

the HFE Protocol

Sinjin Eberle, American Rivers Southwest Communications Director
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Charge 

The FLAHG is charged with working with GCMRC to draft an outline and a full proposal 

for amending the HFE protocol. In doing so, the FLAHG should consider the information 

developed by GCMRC in response to the Secretary’s Designee’s August 18, 2022 

request to evaluate high-flow experiments under low-elevations/low-flows and any 

other pertinent information to evaluate the accounting window. 

The proposal should consider the science, approach, and compliance elements that 

may be needed to make changes to the protocol. An outline of the proposal is 

requested by the Spring TWG meeting and the full proposal by the Summer TWG 

meeting. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Activities Leading Up to June TWG 

• Scheduled and Conducted a 

Kickoff Call (Thank you, 24 

attendees!) 

• Set up central Google Drive 

Folder – document repository 

• Consulted with Solicitor regarding 

the charge/compliance 

• Set up (and conducted – THX Rob 

B!) LTEMP Review as requested by 

FLAHG sub-team (4/10) 

• Presented overview @ April TWG 

• Began drafting the proposal 

document (spearheaded by 

Larry/Craig/Paul, with much 

editing input from Laura and 

Emily, then review/participation 

by many – THANK YOU!) 
Existing Protocol Proposed Protocol 
Proposed Changes 

Existing Protocol 

• • 

• 

• Two sediment accounting 

periods 

Fall: Jul-Nov 

Spring: Dec-Jun 

• HFE implementation windows 

• Fall: Oct-Nov 

• Spring: Mar-Apr 

New Protocol 

• One sediment accounting 

period 

Jul-Jun 

• HFE implementation 

windows 

• Fall: Oct-Nov 

• Spring: Mar-Jun 
 

 

Changes that have been generally accepted by FLAHG 

• Single annual sediment accounting period that still 

resets on July 1 

• Extend Spring HFE implementation window 

• P&I Team can recommend deferring a Fall HFE and still 

use Fall sediment for a Spring HFE 
Things that won’t change via our proposal... 

• P&I Team process 

• Magnitude or duration of Fall, Spring, Extended-duration Fall, 

or Proactive Spring HFEs 

• Can still implement a Fall HFE and a Spring HFE in the same 

water year if triggered 

• Accounting period resets on July 1 

• Only one HFE per implementation window 

• Using the lower bound uncertainty values in HFE modeling 
 

Things we know we need to continue to address: 

• We have a lot of information about these, but need to 

continue to flush out details around... 

• Resource Outcomes 

• Compliance Pathways 
 

 

Other changes proposed by FLAHG that have had discussion but 

not pursued 

• 2-year sediment accounting period 

• Open sediment accounting period 

• Carry over sediment to next accounting period if minimum 

estimate is positive 

• Sediment accounting resets after an HFE 

• Monthly volume trigger for a Proactive Spring HFE instead of 

an annual volume trigger 
 

With Regards to the FLAHG Charge... 

• Requesting TWG 

Feedback on the 

following... 

• Continue to work on the proposal 

document in preparation for the 

August AMWG meeting 

• Integrate any changes from TWG 

into the document 
SM