TU Snake River Headwaters Initiative - Issue #17
Dear Friends,
Hello from Jackson Hole and welcome to the 17th edition of our e-newsletter! It is a winter wonderland out there, with snow piles taller than swing sets in town, and snorkel-worthy deep powder on the slopes.
What a difference a month makes. Last month, I was signing many of my emails, “pray for snow”, and concerned about the implications of Wyoming being asked to use its storage water right to secure flows in the Snake River, for the second year in a row. A trip to Cheyenne to meet with state agency leads, a watershed group meeting, and several epic storm cycles later, the pressure has eased somewhat. This week, we are finally above 100% snow water equivalent in the Snake River Headwaters basin. However, we remain vigilant and are fortunate to have added capacity to our team to take a deep dive into all things Jackson Lake Flows, thanks to your support.
We hope you will enjoy this spring e-newsletter issue, which features an upcoming cross-country ski event at our Lower Snake River Ranch project site, update on the Snake River Headwaters watershed group and Jackson Lake flows, Snake River Headwaters Basin water stats (looking good!), our new Wyoming Water Policy Advisor Kathy Lynch’s bio, the Jackson chapter’s Tie One On banquet, and a women’s fly fishing trip opportunity on the South Fork. As always, we would love to hear from you!
All the best,
Leslie Steen
Join Us - Cross Country Ski Event This Sunday!
JHTU and the Snake River Ranch are hosting a cross-country ski and bonfire event to celebrate and showcase the completion of the Lower Snake River Ranch Stabilization and Fish Habitat Project this Sunday, we hope to see you there! Cross country ski or walk on the groomed cross-country ski trails (special courtesy of Backcountry Safaris) that provide beautiful views of the Tetons, and learn more about our recently-completed bioengineered stream restoration project along the banks of the Snake River. Warm up around the fire and enjoy homemade chili, hot dogs, hot tea and cocoa, cold beverages, and more! Please bring your own cross-country skis or snowshoes. This event is family friendly, but please leave dogs at home! RSVP to me or Sawyer Finley at sawyer.finley@tu.org.
Event Details:
When: Sunday, March 10th, 2024 from 4:00-6:00 pm
Where: Lower Snake River Ranch (~8.5 Miles South of Wilson on Fall Creek Road, look for the JHTU sign on your left)
Watershed Group and Jackson Lake Flows Updates
Last week, we convened the second official meeting of the Snake River Headwaters Watershed Group, with over 60 participants in-person and online. Since our launch last October, we have seen high levels of engagement from agencies, nonprofits, businesses, landowners and other interested community members. A key goal of the meeting was to increase knowledge-exchange and communication among members, with a primary focus on three presentations from the Water Management and Flows Working Group - given by Tony Olenichak, recently-retired water master from Water District 1 in Idaho, Brian Stevens from the Bureau of Reclamation’s Upper Snake Field Office, and Jack Morey, Wyoming Deputy State Engineer. Collectively, the presentations provided information on how water stored in the various reservoirs of the Upper Snake River system are accounted for, the water forecast and outlook for the upcoming water year, information on the guidelines that oversee Wyoming’s storage water, and insights into how and why the decision was made to use Wyoming’s storage water account this winter.
These issues were top of mind following the February 8th announcement by the State of Wyoming and Bureau of Reclamation that Wyoming’s storage water from 2023 would be used this winter to supplement flows below Jackson Lake through the winter and potentially into the spring - leaving questions about what would happen if the water ran out this spring, or was not refilled to be available for flow supplementation in the fall and winter. Thankfully, due to improving snowpack conditions, the Wyoming account is no longer being charged and looks to be on track to refill. However, the threat of flow reductions below minimum levels still looms. In addition to the collaborative work of the watershed group, we have taken thoughtful steps to better understand this complex issue and potential solutions by hiring a new Wyoming Water Policy Advisor, Kathy Lynch, who has hit the ground running and begun to meet with many key players. See links and bio below for more information.
The State of Wyoming and the Bureau of Reclamation Upper Snake Field Office have been working together to maintain flow releases from Jackson Lake Dam. Wyoming, in close collaboration with Reclamation, has decided to make available its 2023 storage water to support releases from Jackson Lake Dam consistent with the Guidelines for Decision-Making in Operations of Wyoming’s Contracted Space in Palisades Reservoir developed by Reclamation and Wyoming in 1996.
Rinse and repeat: Oxbow Bend faces similar flow problems in 2024 - jhnewsandguide.com
Once again, Wyoming appears to be on the hook for ensuring that enough water leaves Jackson Lake Dam this winter and spring to keep the Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park from drying out. Due to the complexity of managing water rights in the Upper Snake River Basin, which stretches from Jackson Lake Dam to Milner Dam near Burley, Idaho, state wildlife managers aren’t exactly sure why.
This winter, snowfall saved Wyoming's water in Snake. What happens next? - jhnewsandguide.com
Continuing snowfall in western Wyoming’s mountains has assuaged fears that the state will have to use all of its water rights to keep the Snake River flowing through Oxbow Bend this winter. But it’s not clear what sort of demand will be placed on Wyoming’s 33,000 acre-feet of water after April 1, when the water year comes into sharper focus.
Snow Water Equivalent Tops 100%
Every other week, we have been anxiously awaiting TCD’s Teton County Water Update. This week, we were relieved to see that we have finally surpassed 100% SWE or snow water equivalent (the amount of water in the snowpack) in the Snake River Headwaters Basin - much-welcomed news after the apocalyptic start to the snow year. The plot above shows SWE in the basin (blue) compared to last year and median conditions. Reservoir levels in Jackson Lake, Palisades, and the Upper Snake system are above average. However, according to TCD’s report, groundwater levels at the Jackson Hole airport remain at 13-year record lows, soil moisture conditions remain near median conditions (50th percentile) and the U.S. Drought Monitor lists the southern portion of the county as abnormally dry, and the northern half of the county as experiencing moderate drought - we’re not completely out of the woods yet.
Welcome Back, Kathy Lynch!
We are pleased to share that Kathy Lynch has re-joined TU’s Jackson-based team as Wyoming Water Policy Advisor as of January 2024, and will be focusing her efforts on our continued attention to flows from Jackson Lake Dam and the new Snake River Headwaters Watershed Group. A native of southeast Idaho, Kathy has recreated in the outdoors her entire life and has a strong affinity for the rivers of the Greater Yellowstone region. She holds a B.S. in Biology from Montana State University and a J.D. from the University of Colorado. Drawing on this background, she has advocated on behalf of coldwater fisheries and sportsmen in a variety of ways, including as Rocky Mountain Energy Counsel and Wyoming Counsel for TU from 2007-2011. During these years with TU, Kathy worked to identify and mitigate impacts to coldwater fisheries from energy development, as well as on stream reconnection and restoration projects. Outside of her time with TU, Kathy has represented energy industry, real estate, and other clients before numerous state and federal agencies. She also served on the Board of the Jackson Hole Chapter of TU from 2003-2007. Kathy is thrilled to once again be a part of the TU team, and she enjoys spending as much time as possible outdoors with her family.
Sponsor a Table at the JHTU Banquet!
We have a limited number of sponsor tables still available for the Jackson Hole TU chapter’s Tie One On banquet, which will be held on Friday, May 10th at Snow King Resort. The banquet is a fun-filled evening - with live music by Aaron Davis and the Mystery Machine, raffles, silent auction, live auction (featuring several international trips), and TU updates - that supports TU’s Snake River Headwaters Initiative and our projects. Sponsor tables are a great way to treat family, friends and clients to a night out and show your support of TU! Tables for 10 are $2,000 and half-tables for 5 are $1,000. In addition to a reserved table with wine and Abby Paffrath hats, sponsors receive logo recognition at the banquet and in marketing materials. For more information, please contact me or Carlie Ideker at carlie.ideker@gmail.com.
TU Women’s Trip to the South Fork
Calling all lady anglers! Please join us for an all-women's trip on the South Fork of the Snake from July 29 to August 2, with proceeds to benefit TU's STREAM Girls programs. Experience 3 days of world-class fly fishing, learn tips and tricks from expert fishing guides, and enjoy delicious gourmet meals with a unique western flare at the Lodge at Palisades Creek, an Orvis-endorsed lodge. All levels including true beginners are welcome. Evenings will feature special presentations by TU’s Leslie Steen, Maggie Heumann, and Beverly Smith. Interested? Email Lizzie Votruba lizzie.votruba@tu.org and check out the itinerary and trip planner here. Sign up with a friend to save on double occupancy rates!