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The Drought Response Operations Plan and its Effect on Fish

Statement from American Rivers, The Nature Conservancy, and Western Resource Advocates

Recently the Bureau of Reclamation announced the timing for this year’s Drought Response Operations Plan (DROP), including water releases from Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Below is a statement from American Rivers, The Nature Conservancy, and Western Resource Advocates in response to how these releases can benefit native fish as well as the communities and infrastructure that depend on the river.

Colorado River Basin — Spring is arriving across the Colorado River Basin, but this year it brings a stark reality. After the warmest and one of the driest winters on record, rivers are not seeing the strong spring peak flows that native fish rely on, especially the four threatened or endangered species in the Upper Basin. Without snowmelt-driven floods, there will be few expansive seasonal wetlands, limited backwaters, and far less of the seasonal habitat young fish need to survive. In years like this, thoughtful and well-timed reservoir operations become especially important to create beneficial stream conditions.

We thank the Bureau of Reclamation for its consideration of strategically timed DROP releases from Flaming Gorge Reservoir that can help mimic natural spring peak flows — reconnecting the river to its floodplain, delivering water to wetlands that support larval fish, and creating conditions that disadvantage invasive species. This same water can also generate multiple benefits, including improved recreation on the Green River and increased appropriate hydropower operations that helps keep the lights on across the West.

The bonytail chub, Colorado pikeminnow, humpback chub, and razorback sucker are found only in the Colorado River system and are living symbols of the river’s history, but their livelihood continues to be threatened by increased temperatures and decreased flows in the river. The future of these native fish depends on how well we manage the river. We appreciate the Bureau of Reclamation’s leadership in using every available tool — like well-timed reservoir releases — to support healthy rivers, resilient ecosystems, and the communities that depend on them.

Contact: Caitlin Weber, 505-372-4937, caitlin.weber@westernresources.org