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Title: Supplement Analysis for the Watershed Management Program EIS (DOE/EIS-0265/SA-106) - Water Entity (Trout Unlimited Montana Water Project 2003)

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/828094· OSTI ID:828094
 [1]
  1. Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Portland, OR (United States)

BPA proposes to fund several water rights acquisition projects proposed by Trout Unlimited Montana Water Project (TU). The funding will be administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the entity administering the Columbia Basin Water Transactions Program, initiated under RPA 151 of the National Marine Fisheries Service’s 2000 Biological Opinion on the Operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System. The water rights acquired by TU will be left instream to increase flow and improve water quality. Increasing instream flow of water-limited streams benefits fish listed under the Endangered Species Act. The three projects proposed by TU include: a Diversion Reduction Agreement, where the landowner agrees to leave up to 4 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water in Rock Creek for the 2003 irrigation season; another Diversion Reduction Agreement for the latter part of the 2003 irrigation season, under which the landowner would agree to cease diverting 1.65 cfs on Rock Creek and between 3 to 6 cfs from the North Fork Blackfoot River; the final proposal is one piece of a larger project in conjunction with other local, federal and state entities, to install a pipeline and sprinkler system to replace a ditch and flood irrigation system, which will result in the conversion of 15.11 cfs of water rights to instream flow. TU's contribution to the proposal (and BPA’s funding) is limited to working with the landowner to convert the water rights to instream flow; all other components of the project, including the irrigation efficiency work, is being done in conjunction with other federal agencies with independent NEPA and other environmental review and consultation obligations.

Research Organization:
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Portland, OR (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance (EH-42)
OSTI ID:
828094
Report Number(s):
DOE/EIS-0265/SA-106
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English