Oregon's John Day River
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Water Resources Department NEIL GOLDSCHMIDT [ GOVERNOR 1 3850 PORTLAND ROAD NE, SALEM, OREGON 97310 MEMORANDUM TO: Water Resources Commission FROM: Director SUBJECT: ~~enda+It$h H, December 7,1990 Water R ources Commission meeting Request for approval of John Dav River Scenic Waterway flows for Diack findinys Backaound A first draft of the John Day River Scenic Waterway Flow Assessment was presented to the Commission at its August 3, 1990 meeting. The Commission reviewed the report and directed staff to hold workshops in the John Day basin to gather public input on the report.. Two workshops were held in October. At the October 26, 1990 meeting staff provided the Commission with a brief report on the workshops and indicated more detailed information would be presented at this Commission meeting. An analysis of comment and copies of hw written comments may be found in Attachment 1. In addition, at the October 26 meeting staff requested and received approval to incorporate public workshops into the flow assessment workplan for all Scenic Waterways and revise the schedule accordingly. Staff evaluated public comment and has revised portions of the assessment (Attachment 1) to reflect public concerns. Discussion In accordance with the Diack decision, before issuing new water rights, the Commission must find that recreation, fish and wildlife uses in the scenic waterway will not be impaired. The John Day Scenic Waterway Flow Assessment documents flow ranges needed to support recreation, fish, and wildlife. The Commission could use this documentation to make findings on pending and future water rights in or upstream from scenic waterway reaches. There are 204 pending water use applications in the John Day basin. Most of these are from the federal government for existing livestock watering poqds. The flow needs of recreation, fish and wildlife in the John Day Scenic Waterway are diverse, varying by use and season. The major flow-dependent uses are recreation and fisheries. By overlaying flow needs, staff identified flow ranges which support recreation, fish and wildlife. Flows supporting existing levels of recreation were identified through literature review and intewiews with experts. Flows identified for fish life were taken from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife studies. WRC Agenda Item I December 7,1990 Page 2 On the South and Middle Forks of the John Day, no flow-dependent recreation uses were documented. While there may be some limited recreational use, no specific flow requirements were identified. Therefore, flows recommended by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for fish life were used to identify scenic waterway flow needs. On the Mainstem and North Fork John Day, four flow ranges which support both recreation and fish life were identified. Each range offers a different level of protection for recreation and fisheries, and would have different impacts on future upstream appropriation. In both reaches, the Assessment identifies a mid-range flow as sufficientfor supporting scenic waterway values. Evaluation a) Public Comment Comments from the public on the first draft of the Assessment were mixed. Many basin residents believed the identified flows were unrealistic, unattainable and would essentially close the basin to further appropriation, including storage. Many recreation interests maintained that the flows were too low to protect all forms of existing recreation and, in addition, failed to consider future recreation needs. Others suggested that a more in-depth study is needed for more accurate depictions of fish and recreation flow needs. These major comments are addressed below. A workshop summary and written comments are in Attachment 1. Flows were identified from two different types of sources. The recreation flows were identified from direct observations based on current use. Generally, flows needed to support recreation are available. For example, on the Mainstem even the highest flows 4 identified for recreation usually occur at least half the time. The other source was ODFW's estimates of flow needed to support fish life. These estimates are based on the life histories of fish species and the physical fonn of specific streams. The estimates are not based on existing flows, or even flows that have occurred since streams have been gaged. ODFW's estimates generally are consistent with WRD's estimates of natural flows in most months (Tables 1 and 2. On the Middle Fork, flows during August, September and October exceed even the highest daily peaks for the period of record. All other flows identified on the Mainstem, North Fork and Middle Fork are flows that have been recorded as a monthly average during the period of record. Ultimately, when the Department reviews instream water right applications the rules require a comparison with natural flow and certificates may be for lower amdunts. It is true that attaining every flow identified in the assessment each year may be difficult or impossible. In many instances, some flows, such as those for recreation, are already attained during most years. Flows needed for fish life, however, may only be attained every several years or less. Some of the fish flows might be met by storage, but storing water in the winter and spring could adversely affect recreation. To some extent, then, recreation and fish uses can compete for the same water, although at different times of the year. The John Day Scenic Waterway Flow Assessment merely documents the needs of these uses. It does not propose a river management plan through which competing instream needs can be balanced. WRC Agenda Item I December 7,1990 Page 3 The Assessment identifies flows needed to support existing recreation. Just as the Commission cannot protect water rights for uses that do not yet exist, neither can it through this process protect recreational needs that have not yet developed. Expected recreational flow needs might be protected through an instream water right. The Parks and Recreation Commission would have to apply for such a right. The Commission cannot on its own motion issue instream rights for any purpose. Table 1: Mainstem (all flows in cubic feet per second) * Identified in John Day River Scenic Waterway Flow Assessment as satisfying purposes of scenic waterway. Table 2: North Fork (all flows in cubic feet per second) Identified in John Day River Scenic Waterway Flow Assessment as satisfying purposes of scenic waterway. WRC Agenda Item I December 7,1990 Page 4 The method used to produce scenic waterway flow assessments was presented to the Commission in March. Because of budget and staff constraints, it was decided to use a method that capitalized on existing information about existing uses. Through interviews and literature review, the method provides a first approximation of instream flow needs in scenic waterways. More intensive studies, such as those based on the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM), can yield more detailed information. However, these studies can take years and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. In addition, the results can still be debated, especially insofar as recreation is concerned. To date, IFIM-based studies for recreation have been rare. b) Flow Values The four ranges identified on the Mainstem and North Fork are described below. All ranges protect fish habitat, wildlife, and aesthetic values. They differ by the level of protection provided to boating uses. 1) Maximum: Protects expert recreational boating needs. 2) Upper-Range: Protects advanced recreational boating needs. 3) Mid-Range: Protects general boating needs. 4) Base: Protects minimum needs for passive boating. Flow values for the four ranges on the Mainstem and North Fork reaches of the Scenic Waterway are displayed in Tables 1 and 2. The Mainstem reach of the John Day Scenic Waterway system is downstream from all the other reaches. Flows identified in this reach, then, are "controlling." That is, they can determine how water resources decisions are made in the other scenic waterways. For maximum and upper-range protection, flow needs are met December, January, the first part of March, April, May and the first part of June at the 50 percent probability level. Using the more rigorous 80 percent probability level, flow needs are met only in the last part of April. For mid-range protection, flow needs are met December through June at the 50 percent probability level. At the 80 percent probability level, flow needs are met in April and May. For base protection, flow needs are met December through June at the 50 percent probability level. At the 80 percent probability level, flows are met February through May. The assessment identifies the mid-range level as that which provides the most reasonable level of protection for scenic waterway values. The mid-range level is characterized by flows of 500 cfs July through January; 1000 cfs in February and the last part of June; and 2000 cfs March through the first part of June. The relationship between mid-mge flows and flow frequencies is displayed in Figure 1 below. The late winter and spring flows represent recreational flows. While there is evidence that recreation occurs at both lower and higher flows, the recommended flow range falls within the acceptable range as identified by a large number of sources (see boating flow assessment table, p. 33 of the assessment). WRC Agenda Item I December 7, 1990 Page 5 Figure 1 MAINSTEM SCENIC WATERWAY FLOWS WRC Agenda Item I December 7, 1990 Page 6 ii) North Fork For all the ranges, flows are identical June through February. Only the March, April and May flows vary. At the 50 percent probability level, June through February flows would be met in June, July, January and the first part of February. None of the flows in this period are met at the 80 percent probability level. For maximum protection March through May, flow needs are met only in March at the 50 and 80 percent probability levels.