Pathfinder Project

COOPERATIVE CONSERVATION CASE STUDY

Pathfinder Project

A pilot project on National Forest lands in Colorado

Location:

Project Summary: The Pathfinder Project is a pilot program that through its involvement with an array of stakeholders works to define a process to provide for water management on National Forest lands in Colorado.

Pathfinder Project Steering Committee members inspect a water diversion on West Willow Creek, GMUG National Forests, Gunnison County, Colorado

Resource Challenge

Colorado water users and water providers have often challenged the Forest Service’s assertion of authority under FLPMA to condition water-related special-use permits. The agency has asserted its ability to administratively impose restrictions on water diversions (bypass flows) in order to provide for instream flow downstream of diversion or storage facilities on National Forest System (NFS) lands. The Forest Service, recognizing the contentious nature of bypass flows and the importance of water management in the Forest Plan revision process, decided to initiate a collaborative process to specifically address instream flow management on the Grand Mesa, Uncompaghre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests. A group of stakeholders representing State interests, local water managers, water users, conservationists, and water resource managers was organized into a Steering Committee whose mission was to assist the Forest Service in providing appropriate instream flow protection on GMUG National Forests.

Examples of Key Partners

Club 20 (Coalition of individuals, business, and local governments from western Colorado )
Colorado Division of Wildlife
Colorado Division of Water Resources (State Engineer’s Office)
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Trout Unlimited
San Miguel Watershed Coalition
Local Area Rancher
Overland Ditch and Reservoir Company
Colorado River Water Conservation District
Ute Water Conservancy District
High Country Citizen’s Alliance
U.S. Forest Service

Results and Accomplishments

The representatives on the Steering Committee worked in a collaborative process to represent the concerns, ideologies, and interests of the water users, agricultural community, municipalities, environmental special interests, the public and state with regard to water management and instream flow protection.

Recognizing the need to obtain a wider range of ideas, the Steering Committee and Forest Service developed a public outreach program to provide information and obtain comments from the public.

The Steering Committee developed a draft strategy for instream flow management consisting of a matrix of goals, objectives, values and implementation strategies that could by used by the Forest Service to provide for instream flows. The Pathfinder process provides a variety of options that may achieve the desired outcomes.

The GMUG National Forest anticipates the Pathfinder process to be incorporated into various elements of the Forest Plan revision, which has gained support from many stakeholders and interest groups.

Innovation/Highlight

The Pathfinder Project was foundational in developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. The MOU outlines a framwork for the two agencies to work in a cooperative manner on issues related to water management and water uses on National Forest lands. Regional Forester, Rick Cables, believes the Pathfinder Project is a cornerstone for water collaboration in Colorado.

Project Contact

Gary Shellhorn
Pathfinder Project Manager
USDA Forest Service
Grand Mesa and Uncompaghre National Forest 2250 South Highway 50
Delta, CO 81416
970-874-6666
gshellhorn@fs.fed.us

Charles Richmond
Forest Supervisor
USDA Forest Service
Grand Mesa and Uncompaghre National Forest 2250 South Highway 50
DeltaCO 81416
970-874-6600
csrichmond@fs.fed.us

Website: http://www.GMUGpathfinder.org

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