New publication estimates the effects of streamflow withdrawals on the Yampa river and its surrounding habitat
Rebecca Diehl, University of Vermont, and Jonathan Friedman, Fort Collins Science Center have published a report of model results quantifying effects of potential flow withdrawals on the riverine and riparian resources of the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado.
The National Park Service (NPS) is charged with maintaining river-related resources and processes for future generations including native fishes and vegetation and their habitats, the river and channel themselves, and the recreational opportunities they provide. Faced with increasing competition for water in the Yampa River Basin and predicted future decreases in runoff, NPS needs quantitative information showing how changes in flow would affect resources.
This report provides information on the potential impact of flow extractions — water withdrawn from rivers for human consumption or use — on the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monument, and lays out a flow prescription framework that can be used to minimize negative effects. Although all water withdrawals would have negative effects on the river, withdrawals during the spring before the peak are less damaging than those at other times of the year.
