525 



Reclamation cooperated in the purchase and release of 100,000 acre-feet of 

 water from the Payette River rental pool and 100,000 acre-feet from the upper 

 Snake River rental pool. In 1992, due to the severe drought conditions in 

 southern Idaho, no water was assigned to the various rental pools that could 

 be used for salmon flow augmentation. 



Recent Activity: Reclamation provided 338,000 acre-feet of water from the 

 Snake River basin for lower Snake River flow augmentation in 1993 (see 

 discussion under measure 3. 3. A. 4). BPA purchased another 100,000 acre-feet of 

 water from the Idaho rental pools (35,000 from the Payette basin and 65,000 

 from the upper Snake River basin). Almost all of this water was used in July 

 and August because (1) natural runoff exceeded flow requirements at Lower 

 Granite Dam for much of the spring and (2) abnormally cool temperatures over 

 much of the Pacific Northwest eliminated the need for flow augmentation to 

 reduce water temperatures in September. 



Contacts: Fred Crase, Rich Rigby 



3. 3. A. 7 Shift system flood control space from Brownlee to 

 (page 27) other Columbia Basin projects (Corps lead). 



Background: Due to the much below normal runoff in 1991 and 1992, no system 

 flood control space was assigned to Brownlee. However, Reclamation cooperated 



with the Corps and Idaho Power to shift 50,000 acre-feet of system flood 

 control space from Brownlee to Grand Coulee in 1993. 



Recent Activity: No further activity Is anticipated for this measure until 



February 1994 when the initial 1994 runoff forecasts are formulated. 



Contact: Dan Yribar 



3. 3. A. 8 Establish a Snake River Anadromous Fish Water 

 (page 27) Management Office (Reclamation co-lead). 



Background: An Idaho Water Rental Policy Group was formed in 1991 to conduct 

 a 3-year study of the feasibility of renting water from Idaho rental pools for 

 lower Snake River flow augmentation. The group consists of representatives 

 from Reclamation, Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR), Idaho Department 

 of Fish and Game (IDFG), BPA, Nez Perce and Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, 

 irrigators, and Idaho Power; this group coordinated the purchase and release 

 of 200,000 acre-feet of flow augmentation water in 1991 and attempted to rent 

 additional water in 1992. The group has been renamed the Snake River 

 Anadromous Fish Water Management Committee and continues to pursue rental and 

 coordination of water from above Brownlee for lower Snake River flow 

 augmentation. IDFG has assumed the lead role in organizing and coordinating 

 committee activities. During 1993, the committee coordinated the release of 

 the 438,000 acre-feet of middle and upper Snake River water used for flow 

 augmentation and coordinated the purchase of the 100,000 acre-feet of Idaho 

 rental pool water included in that total. 



Recent Activity: No further activity is anticipated for this measure until 

 early 1994 when flow augmentation planning activities begin. 



Contact: Fred Crase, Rich Rigby 



