Provo River Fish Flows

Flows Are Released as Part of June Sucker Recovery Program

LeRoy W. Hooton, Jr.

April 28, 2004

Fishermen enjoy fishing the Provo River downstream of Deer Creek Reservoir. Water releases from Jordanelle and Deer Creek Reservoirs are flowing down to Utah Lake to aid in the recovery of the endangered June sucker.
Water is being released from Jordanelle and Deer Creek Reservoirs to mimic nature as part of a program to recover the June sucker fish.  Before dams were constructed on the Provo River, the spring snowmelt would swell the flow in the river. However, with the construction of dams on the river, the spring snowmelt is stored, changing the normal hydrologic flow in the river. The June sucker normally spawns during the spring run-off period in the lower Provo River and then returns to Utah Lake. The artificial flow releases will return the river to its normal behavior.

The June sucker was first federally listed on April 30, 1986.  According to the Federal Register the wild population was 1,000 at the time of listing. A later report indicated that the wild adult spawning population was closer to 300 in 1998. According to The Associated Press news article published April 23, 2004, “Experts believe Utah Lake has 450 adult wild June suckers left.”

In 1994 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a “Jeopardy Opinion” on the June sucker.  The opinion stated that continued operation of water projects may jeopardize the existence of the June sucker.  The authority to make this ruling is found in Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973. This spurred action to save the fish.

In a 1999 agreement between nine organizations, an implementation program was initiated to recover the endangered fish. The nine participants in the project are: Central Utah Water Conservancy District; Utah Department of Natural Resources; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission; U.S. Department of Interior; U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; Provo River Water Users Association; Provo Reservoir Water Users Company; and Outdoor and Environmental Interest. The implementation program is estimated to cost about one million dollars per year for the next 40 years.

The releases will continue until mid-June when the June sucker spawning season is over.

A related article entitled “Provo River – Utah Lake June Sucker Recovery Program” can be found at: http://www.slcclassic.com/utilities/NewsEvents/news482002.htm