The Bureau of Reclamation late last year released an environmental study that calls for increased flows out of the dam in order to improve habitat for four endangered fish species - the bonytail, Colorado pikeminnow, humpback chub and razorback sucker.

But Uintah County Commissioner David Haslem told the Constitutional Defense Council - which disperses funds to counties seeking financial aid for their legal battles with the federal government - that the flows being called for in the study will create unacceptable human consequences.

Farmers and ranchers have complained that increased flows could potentially flood grazing and croplands, he said. But the county's No. 1 concern is standing water that could breed mosquitos and, ultimately, West Nile Virus, which has already claimed one victim in northeastern Utah.

"The irony is that, in preserving [four] endangered fish, they'll end up killing off other endangered animals and birds," Haslem told the council.

Bureau of Reclamation spokeswoman Stacey Carroll Thursday said the agency had no comment, citing the possible litigation.

But bureau officials have previously discounted the mosquito threat, arguing that projected flows would not exceed historic hydrologic levels.

Haslem told the council that Daggett and Duchesne counties could join Uintah County in a possible lawsuit. Essentially, he believes that the three counties never got a fair hearing from the bureau.

"They allowed the state to be a cooperating agency," Haslem said.

"We don't believe they gave the counties the same status."

Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert, chairman of the Constitutional Defense Council, called for a meeting of all the stakeholders in a final bid to resolve the dispute. He said it should be convened as soon as possible.

"We have runoff coming," Herbert said. "It's an issue that's time-sensitive."

jbaird@sltrib.com