Defining Ecological and Sociological Integrity for the South Platte River Basin

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Defining Ecological and Sociological Integrity for the South Platte River Basin Defining Ecological and Sociological Integrity for the South Platte River Basin Proceedings of the 1992 South Platte Conference October 27-28, 1992- Fort Collins, Colorado R. Craig Woodring, Editor February 1993 Co-Sponsored by: CWRRI -Colorado Division of Wildlife - Denver Water Department U.S. Environmental Protection Agency- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Geological Survey- Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District Information Series No. 72 ~olorn~o Water ~esources ~esearc~ Institute Col~ University Colorado State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, veteran status or disability, or handicap. The Cniversity complies with the Civil RightsActofl964, related Executive Orders 11246and 11375, Title XI of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 402 of the Vietnam Era Veteran's Readjustment Act of 1974, the Age of Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended, and all civil rights laws of the State of Colorado. Accordingly, equal opportunity for employment and admission shall be extended to all persons and the University shall promote equal opportunity and treatment through a positive and continuing affirmative action program. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in Room 21 Spruce Hall. In order to assist Colorado State University in meeting its affirmative action responsibilities, ethnic minorities, women, and other protected class members are encouraged to apply and to so identify themselves. The contents of this publication are the responsibility of the author(s) alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Institute or Colorado State University. Defining Ecological and Sociological Integrity for the South Platte River Basin. R. Craig Woodring, Editor Jennifer Roberts, Asst. Editor Sponsored by: Colorado Division of Wildlife Colorado Water Resources Research Institute Denver Water Department Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Geological Survey Organizing Committee: Chair: Chuck Grand Pre, Colo. Div. of Wildlife Kevin Dennehy, U.S. Geological Survey Bill Noonan, U.S. F&WS Gene Schleiger, NCWCD Bob Taylor, Denver Water Department Wes Wilson, U.S. EPA Craig Woodring, CWRRI October 27-28, 1992 University Holiday Inn Fort Collins, Colorado- · The research upon which this reportis based was financed in part by the U.S. Department of Interior, Geologic Survey, through the Colorado Water Resources Research Institute. The contents ofthis publication do not necessarily reflect the views and policies ofthe U.S. Department of the Interior, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute their endorsement by the United States Government. Colorado Water Resources Research Institute Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 Robert C. Ward, Director 11 Table of Contents Keynote Speak.ers ............................................................................................................... 1 The Great American Desert: Popular Myth and Water Development Along the South Platte Brian We-rner . .. 3 Achieving Ecological Integrity through the Federal Clean Water Act Max H. Dodson . .. .. .. .. .. 15 The Political Sociology of Defining Ecological Integrity: Why We Never End Up Where We Intend. Da'Vi.d Freeman. .. 21 Ecological Integrity and its affect on Managing Water Quantity and Water Quality Alan Berryman ................................................................................. 27 Media and Ecology Ed Marston ....................................................................................... 33 South Platte River Observations: Historical Clues to the Evolution of a River's Ecology Greg Silkensen . 41 Roundtable Discussion Summary and Closing Remarks Robert ward. 57 Technical. Papers ............................................................................................................... 61 Detennination of Consumptive Water Use by Irrigated Crops using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques David G. Wagner, Roger M. Hoffer, and Terence H. Podmore ........... 63 Recommended Water Quality Criteria for Agricultural Diversions from the South Platte Timothy K Gates, Thomas Sanders, and Terence H. Podmore ......... 64 Historical and Current Distribution ofFish in Three Ecological Zones of the South Platte River J oni Nuttle and Ronald French ......................................................... 65 iii Technical Papers (continued) The Importance of Understanding the Ecology of Plains Stream Fishes to Future Conservation Effort. Kevin R. Bestgen and Kurt D. Fausch ............................................... 66 Assessment of Long-term Bird Population Trends and Changes in Bird Community Composition in the South Platte Basin of Colorado. Keith Barker and Michael Carter ......................... : ..............•............. 67 Beyond Biodiversity: Towards a Third Generation of Tools for Ecological Assessment Robert C. Peterson and Robert C. Averett ......................................... 69 Effects of Stream Habitat Characteristics on Biological Communities in the South Platte River Basin. Janet S. Heiny and Cathy M. Tate .................................................... 71 Pilot Project for Water Quality Biocriteria Development in the Lower South Platte River Basin, Western High Plains Ecoregion. Wayne Roth-Nelson and Emily Weller ....... ; ...................................... 72 Key Climatic Characteristics of the South Platte River Basin in Colorado Nolan J. Doesken and Thomas B. McKee .......................................... 73 How Much Rainfall? A New Approach Lawrence Tunnell .............................................................................. 74 Water Right Prices in Northeast Colorado: Changes, Trends, and Influences Ari M. Michelson and RobertA. Young ............................................. 75 Water Quality Modelling of the South Platte below Denver: Opportunities for Improved Understanding of Ecological Processes James F. Saunders, ill and William M. Lewis, Jr ............................. 77. Effect of Ground-Water Discharge on Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations in the South Platte River at Low Flow Peter B. McMahon, Kevin F. Dennehy, and Ken Lull ........................ 79 Directions in Water Resource Management on the South Platte: A Municipal Perspective Douglas Kemper ............... ;.. ."............................................................. 80 Issues of the Urban River Interface Mark Tabor ...................................................· ............................. ~ ...... 81 lV Other Soutll Platte Basin Research . .. .. .. .. .. .. 85 Channel Improvements Enhance Segment 15 Dissolved Oxygen Richard Thornton, Chester Watson, and Robert Neaol ..................... 85 Evaluation of Oxygen and Ammonia Levels in Big Dry Creek Cynthia L. Paulson and ffipp Scott . ... ..... ..... .. .. .. ... .. .. .. 86 Mutual Irrigation Company Monitoring of Main Canal Nitrogen Levels John Wilk:i.n.s-Wells . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 88 Distribution oftlle Subterranean Amphipod Stygobromus in Central Colorado Streams, Witll Notes on tlle Interstitial Community Steven P. Canton, D. J. Conklin, Jr., and J. W. Chadwick ................ 89 Conference Attendees ........................................................................................................ 91 v V1 Preface The U.S. Congress' current direction on reauthorization of the Clean Water Act has brought a new term to water management- ecological integrity. What does this term mean? What will beitsimplicationsforwatermanagementin the Western United States? How will the South Platte Basin be changing under this new federal mandate? Must the ecology of the region return to what it was before European influence - high plains desert and mountain meadow? The Clean Water Act has been a forbearer of new innovative thinking in water quality management and the way we look at the entire environment. How will the latest version affect our lives? How can we as water managers and citizens of the Basin take direction for our way of life under these uncertain policies? How can we maintain sociological integrity of the basin while seeking ecological integrity? In order to provide a forum for these important questions to be presented and discussed, the 1992SouthPlatteResearchConferencewasheldOctober27-28, 1992 at the University Park Holiday Inn, Fort Collins, Colorado. As the third annual conference, this meeting desired to follow the pattern of multi-disciplinary discussion and formulation of direction through better understanding of the South Platte River system. Cosponsors of the program were the Colorado Division ofWildlife, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, Denver Water Department, Environmental Protec­ tion Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, and Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District. Target participants included water management organizations, citizen groups, agricul­ tural interests, outdoor recreationists, resource consultants, local and regional govern­ ment, university members, conservation organizaitons, and federal resource agency personnel. The format of the 1992 South Platte conference included six invited presenta­ tions that sought to define the past and present ecology of the South Platte Basin. Short presentations on specific aspects of the South Platte Basin were made as well as panel discussions and audio-visual presentations. Whenever we talk about
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