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<br />718 <br /> <br />55. Comment: <br /> <br />Response: <br /> <br />56. Comment: <br /> <br />Response: <br /> <br />57. Comment: <br /> <br />Navajo Reservoir so water would not be released from the epilimnion <br />where elevated water temperatures could further impact trout. Also, <br />based on a full years cycle oflimnological studies done on Navajo <br />Reservoir in 2000, dissolved oxygen levels below the thermocline within <br />the hypolimnion are never low enough to impact the downstream fishery. <br /> <br />Other Fish and Wildlife Resources and Endangered Species <br /> <br />Even though the low flow test is for a limited amount of time, if young-of- <br />the-year native fish are in flow sensitive habitats the impact on the 2001- <br />year class could be significant. This should be addressed in the EA. <br />There are very few backwater habitats between the dam and the <br />confluence of the Animas River. Any young-of-the-year native fishes <br />present the first part of July would more likely be in.other low velocity <br />habitats. It is much more likely that losses caused by the entrainment of <br />young of year native fish in existing diversions has and will continue to be <br />much more of afactor than flow depletions. <br /> <br />Timing of the flow test may also be important in respect to the Southwest <br />Willow Flycatcher if the young birds are fledging or if they are exposed to <br />food reductions. In July the daytime thermal conditions are likely to be <br />very warm in the lower San Juan river, which will mean that the aquatic <br />insects in the exposed areas will be desiccated quickly, removing a portion <br />of the aquatic insect food base from the adult willow flycatcher diet. Has <br />an estimate been made on the amount of area that is likely to be desiccated <br />along the riparian/river corridor during the low flow test? <br />The Fish and Wildlife Service has indicated that they do not believe that <br />the low flow test will adversely affect any threatened or endangered <br />Species, including the southwestern willow flycatcher. The amount of <br />river bottom exposed has been estimatedfor the river'sfirst 7 miles <br />downstream from Navajo Dam. The test will allow for a better <br />determination of this factor in the downstream reaches to the city of <br />Farmington. Downstreamfrom Farmington and the Animas River <br />confluence significant changes are not expected because the test is timed <br />to coincide with high flows in the Animas River. A biological assessment <br />and biological opinion will be prepared as part of the Navajo Reservoir <br />Operations EIS and these documents will discuss the effects of long-term <br />operation changes on the flycatcher and other endangered species. The <br />low flow test will provide information for these documents. <br /> <br />We are troubled by the fact that proposed target flows for lower reaches of <br /> <br />26 <br /> <br />J <br />