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<br />~.I, <br /> <br />.' <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />THE SOUTHWESTERN WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT <br /> <br />A MunicIpal DlsonCI Organized Under SI..lI~ Law For DeyelOpm~nl And Con~r'o'allon OrTh~ WJler; In Th~ <br />SAN JUAN AND DOLORES RIVERS AND THEIR TRIBLrrAR1ES <br />IN SOUTHWESlERN COLORADO <br /> <br />West Building- 841 Second Avenue <br /> <br />n__6 ntr:_~ n__. .....,~ <br />lU3LVIlIL.C...U.......,... <br /> <br />DURANGO. COLORADO 81302 <br />(970) 247-1302' Fax (970) 259-8423 <br /> <br />f :: cj 2 ~ 2004 <br /> <br />February 19,2004 <br /> <br />Colorado Water Con~e:vr:bn Bo<..rc <br /> <br />Carol DeAngelis <br />uS Bureau of Reclarnation <br />2764 Compass Drive <br />Grand Junction, Colorado 81506-8785 <br /> <br />Re: Navajo Unit Re-Operation Environmental Impact Statement, Comments on <br />Draft Biological Opinion <br /> <br />Dear Carol: <br /> <br />The Southwestern Water Conservation District (SWCD) provides these comments on the <br />Draft Biological Opinion (BO) prepared by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFLWS) <br />for the Navajo Reservoir Operations Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) dated <br />January 26,2004. <br /> <br />SWCD has been involved in the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation <br />Program (SJRIP) since its inception and is committed to achieving the dual goals of the <br />program: to recover the two endangered fish and at the same time to allow water <br />development to proceed. SWCD has assisted in obtaining the necessary funds to allow <br />all of the activities requested by the SJRIP Biology Committee. Without the support of <br />non-federal entities, including SWCD, the SJRIP funding would not have been available <br />~nd the SJRIP would not have been possible. SWCD has spent large sums to have <br />representatives involved in the SJRIP process and has been kept informed of the recovery <br />efforts. The comments herein are based on the extensive SJRIP involvement by SWCD <br />representatives. <br /> <br />General Comments <br />It is important to note first the precise description of the proposed Bureau of Reclamation <br />(USBR) action: <br /> <br />The Bureau of Reclamation proposes to operate Navajo Dam and <br />Reservoir to implement Endangered Species Act related flow <br />recommendations for the San Juan River, or a reasonable alternative to <br />those recommendations, in a manner which allows for both current and <br />future water depletions in compliance with the ESA. <br /> <br />OlSC9 <br />