Thirteen years ago the respected ecologists Dr. Tyus and Dr. Saunders determined that the White River was second to the Yampa River for ensuring the recovery of endangered fish in the greater Green River basin, the major-most tributary of the Colorado River.

Tyus and Saunders recognized that the White River also provided direct contributions (endangered fish habitat) to recovery based on abundant captures of adult Colorado pikeminnow, and the occasional capture of young-of-the-year Colorado pikeminnow and adult razorback sucker. 

Unfortunately, the White River could lose that position if the extraction of oil shale and tar sands proceeds within the landscape of this imperiled watershed. To support corporate interests to exploit dirty and carbon intensive fuel extraction programs, the states of Colorado and Utah could approve depletions of about 20% from the White River, which would eliminate yet another hope that water managers would finally begin to embrace a future of river restoration and ecosystem recovery.

The Department of Interior, has decided to initiate a management plan for the White River, which will hopefully adopt a flow recommendation report. Another component of this proposed management plan would include a Progrmmatic Biological Opinion and Section 7 Consultation.

DOCUMENT ARCHIVE

Click here to visit the RESOURCE page about endangered fish

• 2014 - White River Storage Feasibility Study. Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District.
• 2014 - White River development. Press release from Western Resource Advocates.
• 2013 - Notice of Flow Recommendations. USFWS.
• 2013 - Public Comments. Living Rivers & Colorado Riverkeeper.
• 1980 - DEIS White River Dam Project (proposed). BLM.
• 1982 - FEIS White River Dam Project. BLM.
• 2009 - White River Basin Information. Colorado.
• 2004 - White River Base Flow Study. USFWS.
• 2000 - White River endangered Species Report. Utah.
• 1986 - Endangered Fish & White River Taylor Draw Project. Colorado.
• 1984 - White River Baseline Water Quality Report. USGS.

THE PROPOSED WHITE RIVER STORAGE PROJECT (Wolf Creek)

• Feature: On the Colorado