Final Minutes
Water Management Committee Meeting
The Water Management Committee (WMC) meeting began at 10:00 a.m. in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The minutes of the August 21, 2001, WMC workshop were discussed and approved with corrections. Ann Bleed notified the WMC Chair that she will be able to participate on the Tamarack Subgroup.
Lyle Myler reported to the WMC on the Drafting Committee meeting held August 22, 2001, to discuss adaptive management. The Drafting Committee with the assistance of technical representatives discussed the types of management decisions/actions that are anticipated during the 1st increment and prior to a 2nd increment that may be categorized as adaptive management. The Drafting Committee is working on an internal draft regarding adaptive management and when completed will circulate the draft to the other committees for review. Technical representatives will keep their respective committees informed on the progress. Dale Strickland agreed to draft an example of how adaptive management may be applied with respect to channel width decisions using measured biological response information and outline the critical administrative decision points for the land, water, Integrated Monitoring and Research Plan (IMRP), and Habitat Protection Plan (HPP) by October 5, 2001. The next meeting was tentatively scheduled for mid-October in conjunction with the Governance Committee's October workshop.
Mark Butler distributed the revised depletion plan process flowchart dated September 10, 2001, and discussed it with the WMC. The revised flowchart incorporates the comments provided by the WMC members. During the discussion, the text in box 14 was revised by striking the phrase "(proponent)" and the supporting text was revised by replacing the word "always" with the word "probably" on page 1, 2nd paragraph, 4th line. With the revisions to the flowchart, review of the product for the milestone W1,2,4-EXT subtasks is completed. Mark will present and review the flowchart with the Governance Committee at their September 14 meeting and provide the flowchart to the Executive Director for distribution the following the meeting. The WMC Chair will report to the Governance Committee that the product for W1,2, 4-EXT subtasks has been reviewed per W12-EXT and no further concerns were raised by the WMC.
The WMC discussed the products for completion of the milestone W10-EXT subtasks. By consensus, the WMC identified that the flowchart developed for W1,2,4-EXT would also serve to complete the W10-EXT subtasks. It was noted that pursuant to milestone W11-EXT, the WMC would review the completed Federal Future Depletions Plan. It was suggest that the Federal Depletions Plan identify what existing federal depletions will be covered under the Program (July 1, 1997) and identify potential new federal activities that may have depletions in the future. Mark identified that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reviewing the existing minor depletions Biological Opinion and plans to extend it only through the term of the Cooperative Agreement.
The WMC discussed the milestones W9-EXT subtasks. While some concerns were expressed regarding potential depletions relative to vegetation management, it was agreed that the flowchart developed for milestones W1,2,4-EXT also satisfies the subtasks of milestone W9-EXT. Further, it was recognized that the Federal Depletions Plan completed under milestone W11-EXT would include discussion of U.S. Forest Service lands and would be reviewed by the WMC. Polly Hays will continue dialog with the states to understand their concerns and provide information to the states regarding the Forest Service's concerns related to the water yields shown in recent studies.
Following a lunch break, the milestone W6-EXT subtask regarding Tamarack Phase 1 daily operating criteria was discussed. Jon Altenhofen identified he has been working with Nebraska to better understand their accounting of Environmental Account (EA) water and reviewed a sample of Nebraska's accounting (Section Between Sutherland and Maxwell) with the WMC. He also discussed how the information contained in Nebraska's recently completed Conveyance Losses Report would be integrated into the Tamarack accounting spreadsheet. During the discussion, Jon identified a need for a gauge below the Western Diversion for accounting purposes. Jon will be populating the spreadsheet to provide examples of Tamarack operation and the forecasting of excess flow at Grand Island to determine when Tamarack can be operated.
The completion date for the W6-EXT subtask was set for October 15, 2001. Mark will work with the Tamarack Subgroup to get the needed information for draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Endangered Species Act (ESA) analyses. It was noted that the October 15 completion date will not cause delay to the ESA/EIS analyses. The revised Tamarack accounting spreadsheet will be provided to WMC Chair to meet the October 15 date and will be further discussed at the next WMC meeting. The Tamarack Subgroup has not had the opportunity to meet, so a list of issues associated with Tamarack operations or exchange has not been developed.
Next the milestone W7-EXT subtask regarding the Tamarack Phase 1 / Lake McConaughy Environmental Account exchange was discussed. The consensus of the WMC for completion of this subtask is for the EIS team to evaluate Tamarack Phase 1 with and without the exchange and display the results of both in the draft EIS document. No further action by the WMC is required for this subtask.
Mark Butler and Don Anderson discussed the comments provided regarding the Draft Pallid Sturgeon Plan (Plan). The comments provided were useful and will be incorporated into the Plan. The Plan will be revised and more detail on the analysis will be added. Mark believes further review and buy-off is needed by the Technical Committee and WMC prior to providing the Plan to the Governance Committee. The revised Plan will be provided to the WMC Chair for distribution to the WMC for further review and discussion.
Lastly, the WMC discussed adaptive management with respect to the water management decisions that will be made. Adaptive management would not be used to adjust the Program goal of 130,000 -150,000 acre-feet of shortage flow reduction on average during the 1st increment. However, the operation of the water projects and development/selection of projects from the Water Action Plan may be modified in response to adaptive management recommendations. Lyle Myler will continue to attend the Drafting Committee discussions of Adaptive Management and report to WMC.
The next WMC meeting was tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, November 13 from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in Denver, Colorado at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service building.
The meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m.
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