JACKSON, Wyo. — Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) released an update on the Jackson Lake dam drawdown this spring, as well as its plans for public meetings this fall to discuss future management.
“We do not expect any widespread or significant impacts to the Snake River fishery from the Jackson Lake dam operations this spring,” Darren Rhea, WGFD fisheries supervisor for the Jackson Region said. “Reclamation was able to maintain minimal flows from the dam to support the river and preserve the Oxbow, while strong runoff from large tributaries immediately downstream helped augment the typical spring flow and sustain critical habitat throughout the river.”
In early May, the Bureau of Reclamation announced that they would reduce the water flow out of Jackson Lake dam to 50 cfs, to conserve water in the Upper Snake River Basin. The Bureau said the reduction was necessary to prevent water from leaving the system and spilling over Milner Dam downstream in Idaho due to the above-average snowpack.
According to research by the WGFD, the minimum flow required to maintain the fishery below the dam and maintain water within the world-famous Oxbow Bend is 280 cfs. The state of Wyoming and the Bureau of Reclamation were able to reach an agreement before the drawdown occurred in which the state used its water account to maintain flows at 280 cfs. Flows were increased in July to 2,000 cfs.
WGFD said Thursday that the department is planning public meetings, “where resource managers will discuss water operations outlook, fisheries and research opportunities to support future management.”
The meetings are slated for Sept. 14, says WGFD, and more information will be released in the future.
“As federal stewards, we recognize our tremendous responsibility to work with our partners to continue providing the many benefits of the upper Snake system while finding solutions that are good for fish and for people,” Snake River Area Manager Lanie Paquin said. “We look forward to seeking those opportunities for win-win solutions.”
WGFD also shared that the Bureau of Reclamation and the state of Wyoming will work together to review and, if needed, update the 1996 “Guidelines for Decision-Making in Operation of Wyoming’s Contracted Space in Palisades Reservoir.”
