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Monday, October 19, 2009

New Approach May Improve Fishery

By Laddie Mills
Concerned San Juan Sportsman
          In a recent Journal article, Michael Connor, the New Mexican who recently became the head of the Bureau of Reclamation, describes the challenges of managing rivers, already stressed by demand, that are shrinking due to climate change. Additional future demands and unresolved Native American claims are certain to make balancing supplies and water withdrawals an even more daunting task. Connor proposes to change Reclamation's role by emphasizing a new collaborative approach that will include all factions in these decisions.
        This is great news for New Mexico and the famous San Juan trout fishery below Navajo Dam. Intense competition for future San Juan water has resulted in Reclamation implementing a new low flow re-operation plan for the dam. This plan was designed for the dual purposes of providing large spring releases for downstream endangered fish and accommodating large water withdrawals directly from Navajo Reservoir for future projects. It will ultimately result in summer, fall and winter flows in the river below the dam being cut to 250 cubic feet per specond. It is certain to be disastrous for the fishery.
        Since 2002, many sportsmen have been reporting a dramatic decline in the fishery as a result of the combined effects of the lower flows and increased sedimentation/silting. Many of the best riffles and runs are now buried under layers of silt, the famous San Juan rainbows have virtually disappeared from some sections, and the prolific insect populations that once fueled the fishery have been decimated. The good news is that anglers can still find good fishing in places; the bad news is that much of the best trout habitat has been lost. Even though the planned low flows have not yet been fully realized, it is clear that the problems are going to be much worse than predicted.
        During the environmental studies for the low flows, the investigations of likely impacts to the trout fishery were flawed and misleading. The silting problems were not anticipated and were not properly accounted for. Further, the increase in erosion from a near doubling in oil and gas wells combined with new exemptions to Clean Water Act rules meant to control storm water runoff on the surrounding Bureau of Land Management lands since the studies were done have not been considered. Although many concerned sportsmen, conservation groups and agencies including the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Environmental Protection Agency expressed serious concerns about the problems with the environmental studies and the lack of mitigation actions to Reclamation, the environmental threats have still not been adequately addressed and Reclamation has so far refused to take the lead in any effort to mitigate the damage.
        Fortunately, a new opportunity to properly evaluate the threats to the trout fishery has developed: Reclamation is beginning a complete re-evaluation of their low flow program. This time the rules must be changed and preservation of the fishery must receive full consideration along with future water projects and the downstream endangered fish.
        To get this done will not be easy: comprehensive fishery, silt transport and deposition and erosion control investigations will be required. Further, water development alternatives such as taking future project water out downstream from the fishery must be fully explored. Because the problems are the direct result of Reclamation and Bureau of Land Management projects and management actions, these agencies must be accountable and take the lead in securing federal funding for this work.
        The famous San Juan trout fishery recently was described by Gov. Bill Richardson as "one of the crown jewels of the Four Corners and the state." It is enjoyed by thousands of New Mexicans and visitors and has been estimated to contribute as much as $38 million a year to New Mexico's economy. It is a unique and irreplaceable public resource. If Connor's vision for Reclamation to take a more fair and balanced approach in water decisions is to become a reality, preservation of the fishery must be given full consideration in the upcoming flow re-evaluations. If Reclamation will accept this challenge, the San Juan trout fishery can become a showpiece for responsible water and energy development working side by side with successful fish and wildlife conservation that will make New Mexico proud.
        Laddie Mills is a retired project and program manager for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a member of the San Juan Quality Waters Coalition and the San Juan Working Group, a group assembled by Game and Fish solicit public input on San Juan River problems.