Paul Dey, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Presentation for a public hearing in Meeteetse, November

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Instream Flow Water Right Applications
Paul Dey, Wyoming Game and Fish Department,
Presentation for a public hearing in Meeteetse,
November 30th, 2006
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Instream Flow SegmentSelection

• reportthose specific segments of stream
  whichhave the most critical need for instream
  flows
• Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout
• The Greybull and Wood River basins provide a
  large, interconnected stream system with
  genetically healthy trout

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Why?

• Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout are an important,
  native species worthy of our careful stewardship
• Instream flow water rights will help protect
  existing fisheries from future harm

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Greybull Instream Flow Filings
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Wood River Basin Instream Flow Filings
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Methods

• A study site is visited multiple times
• Measure habitat characteristics at multiple flow
  levels
• Predict habitat over a range of flows
• Identify flow levels that maintain habitat for
  all trout life stages on a seasonal basis

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Methods

• Habitat Retention riffle habitat
• Habitat Quality Index (HQI) adult trout habitat
  during summer
• Physical Habitat Simulation (PHABSIM)
• Spawning
• Adult, juvenile, fry habitat
• Natural Winter Flow 20 Monthly Exceedance

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Habitat Retention

• Focus on 2 or 3 riffles
• Identify flow that retains 2 out of 3 criteria
  for all riffles
• Average Depth 0.20 feet
• Average velocity 1.0 ft/s
• Wetted perimeter 50 of max

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Habitat Quality Index

• Annual streamflow variation
• Critical period streamflow
• Water temperature
• Nitrate concentration
• Water velocity
• Trout cover
• Invertebrate numbers
• Eroding banks
• Wetted width

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Physical Habitat Simulation

• Transects used to model fish habitat in
  riffles, runs, pools, etc.
• Depth, velocity, substrate, and cover predicted
  over a range of flows
• Predicted conditions are compared to trout
  requirements
• Result is weighted useable area (WUA) of the
  stream at different flow levels

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Results
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Piney Results Riffles
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Piney Creek HQI
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Sage Creek Spawning
PHABSIM Results
Brown Trout Spawning
55 cfs
Spawning
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Instream Flow Segment Details
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Wood River Winter Flow Recommendations
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Instream Flow Segment Details
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FLOW MONITORING WGF collects stream flow data to
show availability of requested IF amounts, help
the WWDC determine feasibility, help the SEO make
permit decisions, and help the BOC adjudicate the
permits.
Greybull R. _at_ Pitchfork
Wood R., Forest boundary
Wood R., above M. Fk.
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Greybull River Flows at Pitchfork Bridge
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• Additional Literature
• Instream flow reports
• Flow monitoring reports
• 5 year plan
• http//gf.state.wy.us/fish/instreamflow