Trinity River Mainstem Fishery Restoration

EIS

Comments by Rodney J. Wittler, USBR TSC

The section describing the Flow Evaluation/Preferred Alternative, Section 2.1.4, Page 2-16, needs to emphasize the bounds of the Trinity River Flow Evaluation Study (TRFES). The TRFES recommends "permanent" annual flow volumes in five water year types. These five volumes specify the total volume of water available for meeting the objectives listed in the TRFES. The flow schedule, or five hydrographs, of each of the five water year types is entirely variable insofar as the schedule strives to meet the management objectives. The purpose of the Adaptive Environmental Assessment and Management program, also recommended in the TRFES, is to annually determine the annual flow schedule, utilizing the permanent annual volume. The five hydrographs recommended by the TRFES are only the first estimate of the flows necessary to meet the management objectives. Future annual flow schedules will be recommended through the scientific process of the AEAM program.

I recommend that the writers of the EIS reflect the recommendations of the TRFES and emphasize the permanent flow volume and the variable flow schedule for meeting management objectives.