ASSESSMENT OF WATER CONDITIONS AND MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN SUPPORT OF RIPARIAN VALUES: BLM San Pedro River Properties, Arizona Project Completion Report ASSESSMENT OF WATER CONDITIONS AND MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN SUPPORT OF RIPARIAN VALUES: BLM San Pedro River Properties, Arizona Project Completion Report William Jackson, 1 Tony Martinez. 2 Paul Cuplin, 3 W.L.Minkley, 4 Bo Shelby, 5 Paul Summers, 6 Dan McGlothlin. 7 Bruce Van Haveren, 8 May 1987 U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management Service Center P.O. Box 25047 Denver, CO 80225-0047 1. Hydrologist, Project Leader. Bureau of Land Management Service Center 2. Attorney and Water Rights Specialist, Bureau of Land Management Colorado Slate Office 3. Fisheries Biologist and Riparian Specialist Bureau of Land Management Service Center 4. Professor of Zoology. Arizona State University. 5. Associate Professor of Resource Recreation. Oregon State University 6. Hydrogeologist, Bureau of Land Management Service Center 7. Hydrologist, Bureau of Land Management Arizona Slaw Office 8. Hydrologist, Bureau of Land Management Service Center United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT ARIZONA STATE OFFICE P.O. Box 16563 3707 N. 7th Street 1.1 REPLY REER TO: ' Phom~x.Arizona 8501 1 This document is the final report of a project prepared by the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Denver Service Center for the Safford District Office in Arizona. The project, initiated by the Arizona State Office, was designed and implemented by the San Pedro River Study Team, a group of multidisciplinary professionals special izing in hydro1ogy, geomorphol ogy, hydrogeol ogy, fisheries biology, riparian ecology, water rights and natural resource recreation. This report: (a) presents information on the condition of water resources in the San Pedro River Management Area, (b) justifies the quantification of instream dependent uses identified in the area and (c) examines and recommends strategies for protecting or enhancing the identified water-related values. The report provides a basis for BLM's resource management planning for the San Pedro area. It is not, however, a decision document. The information in the report will be utilized by the Safford District in developing resource management objectives for the San Pedro River Management Area. The project team's findings were presented to the Arizona State Office and Safford District Office in June 1987. A draft project report was sent to various interest groups and organizations for their technical review. The study was fully coordinated with the Arizona Congressional Del egatlon to ensure its consistency with pending legislation for the San Pedro River Management Area. The report satisfies fully the intent and purpose for which this study was comnissioned. I accept the water right recommendations and approve the implementation of strategies for protecting flows in the San Pedro River. Sincerely, D. Dean Bibles State Director PREFACE The Bureau of Land Management (BLM)Service Center was requested in July. 1986, by the Arizona State Office to organize a project team and prepare a proposal for a water resources assessment and water rights quantification project for recently acquired properties on the San Pedro River in southeast Arizona. The project proposal was accepted in October, 1986. The project purpose is to assist the BLM Safford District by providing water resources information for land use planning, and by providing a strategy and quantification for the acquisition of an instream flow water right Whereas water resources in the San Pedro River properties provide a useful focal point for many resource values and management issues, the report by no means reflects all of the issues and concerns involved in land use planning and management. The ultimate acceptance and implementation of recommendations in the repon is subject to further analyses as part of the resource management planning process. Blank Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project involved the help and cooperation of a number of BLM organizational units. individuals and other agencies. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the help of Larry Humphrey, Del Molitor, Steve Knox, Pete Zwaneveld. Mike Meusel, Joe Fisher. Erick Campbell, Lyle Rolston, Ray Brady, and Les Rosenkrance-all from the BLM Safford District; Don Henderson, Ed Lehner, Richard Mathews, John Maynard, Dr. L. G. Wilson, Dr. D. F. Post, and Dr. K. G. Renard of the San Pedro River soil and water advisory committee; Bill Kepncr of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Herb Dishlip and the hydrology staff at the Arizona Department of Water Resources: Bill Swan, Interior Department solicitor. John Leshy, Arizona State University; Catherine Rovey, Ground-Water Hydrologist; Norma Reitsma, Shirley Hudson, Shirley McCulloch, Peter Doran, Hans Stuart, Herman Weiss, Jennifer Reese. June Johnson, Marge Trujillo, and Marilyn Chatterton of the BLM Service Center, and to the many other individuals who contributed to the acquisition of information and discussion of ideas. In addition, we would like to thank the BLM Arizona State Office for its cooperation and support throughout the project. Blank Page TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Preface ........................................................................................................................................ i ... Acknowledgcmcnts .................................................................................................................. li! Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................v .. List of Fiprcs ..................................................................................................................... vll List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ xi Executive Summary .................................................................................. ............................... 1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................................7 Project Location ....................................................................................................................9 scopc ...................................................................................................................................... 11 Project Objectives ................................................................................................................... 13 Approach and Methods ........................................................................................................... 15 Description of the Study Arca .................................................................................................19 Historic Habitats ................................................................................................................... 21 Present Waw-Dependent Resource Values ............................................................................25 Riparian Vegetation ............................................................................................................ 25 Fishwand Aquatic Habitats ....................................................................................................36 Wildlife .................................................................................................................................... 51 Recreation ..........................................................................................................................51 Fluvial Geomorphology .......................................................................................................... 59 Surface Watcr Hydrology ........................................................................................................73 Ground Water .......................................................................................................................... 95 Legal Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 117 Instream Flow Analysis ......................................................................................................... 127 Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 131 Page Water Rights .......................................................................................................................... 131 Resource Management ..........................................................................................................133 Monitoring ............................................................................................................................. I35 Literature Cited ...................................................................................................................... 137 Appendix I: Hydrology Data ................................................................................................ 153 Appendix 11: Cross-Sectional Area Analysis and Wetted Perimerer ................................... 167 Appendix 111: Reintroductions and Management of Native Fishes ..................................... 177 List of Figures Page Figure 1. San Pedro River project location map. .................................................................. 9 Figure 2. San Pedro River project water resources assessment process.