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<br />3753 <br /> <br />RUED! DAM AND Rl':SERVOIR, COLO. <br /> <br />Gl <br /> <br />, . <br /> <br />Operation of Ruedi Reser.oir as planned will reduce and stabilize <br />the streamflo" of Fryingl,"n River do"nstre"m Hom the dam. The <br />more uniform ;yenr-rollnd flows will impl'O\'e fish ha.bitat n~d provide <br />better condit.ions for fishing in the early months ,of the fislung seaSOll. <br />However, good aquatic hubitat and heavy fishmg pl'e%lll'e already <br />e.xist 011 this reach, and we predict only about. a 5-percent increase in <br />\":due with t.he project. This results in :l\'erage nnnual figure of <br />sportsmen's expenditures for t!ie next GO years of about $14",000. <br />The project "ill destroy" 7-mile reach of beautiful, high quality, <br />heavily used trout st.ream fishery; create a fair-sized~ reser\'oir fishery; <br />and increase the :n"eragr :l.1lI11lal vnllle of the downstream fishery. <br />Without-the-project sportsmen's expenditures wi]] total about $105,- <br />000 anuaIly. "Tit,h-the~projed sport.slllen~s expenditures lindeI' the <br />sponsor's plan wi]] amount to about $36,,000 annnally. Total bene- <br />fit.s to the fishery in terms of nn increase in sportsmen's expenditures <br />,,,ill alllount to about $17",000 annually with the project.. <br />The effects of Ruedi Resen'oir on big gamp, Hnd upland game ""ill <br />be insignificant. Ho'weyer, the immdatlOl1 of three slllall private <br />lakes and t.heil' adjacent wetlands will eliminate popubtiol1s of water- <br />fowl and n.qun.t.ic fur animals ,,"hich are at If'l\st of 1ot',al impurt.ance. <br />The marshes provide habitat for mll~krnts nTHl nesting watel'fo\\'l~ the <br />production of which will be much less wit.h a fluctuating resen"oir. A <br />fut,ure definite plan report should gh'e consideration to t.he possibility <br />of a suhimpoundment on Ruedi and/or Bagley Creeks for tish all'! <br />wildlife conservation, or wate.rfowl improvements around 1\li550n1'i <br />Heights Reservoir 18 miles norlh"est of the project area. <br />JOHN C. GATLIN. <br /> <br />I; <br /> <br />~. <br /> <br />