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02/14/96 10:04 tr303 245 6933 FISH & WILDLIFE ~~~ CWCB 141002 -- I --- REASONABLE All) PRIIJENT ALTERNATIVE The Service believes, based on the analysfs of the hvdroloQ1cal and bioloqical information. that implementatIon of all the folTowfng elements wIlT avoia the TikeTfhood. of jeopardlzinQ the continued' exfstence of Colorado squawfish and. razorback sucker; ana avoia.oestruction or aaverse moaification of critical habftat. Reclamation a~rees to carry out all of the elements of the reasonable and prudent alternative to avoid the likelihood of jeopardy and adverse modification or destruction of critical habftat. These actions will serve as a reasonable and prudent alternative so 10nQ as they are cOmPleted and/or implemented before Project depletions occur. 1, After reviewin~.baselfne hydrological conditions and how Reclamation could operate Navajo Dam to mimic the natural hy'drogr~h, the Service determined that an 1ntUal ._Uon aot to IXceed .57...100 acre-feet for the Project is not likel~ to jeopardize the continued existence of the Colorado sguawflsh or razorback sucker nor adversety modif~ or destro~ their critical habltat~ assuming the i~plementation of all elements of the reasonable and prudent alternative. This d~pletion is that portion of the Project available from the construction of Phase 1~ Stage A. Only those Project features which result in a depletion of 57.108 acrl- feet (Phase I, Stage ~) will be constructed and Qperated .pursuant to this biologIcal opinion. However, the deDletion can not exceed an annual maximum of 57,100 acre-feet in any year, as calculated at the Bluff gage (located at Mexican Hat), unt 11 all the elements of this reasonable and prudent alternative are cOmPleted and/or implemented. However, if Reclamation can prOVide a minimum winter flow out of Navajo Dam of approximately 300 cfs on a recurring basis such that the fleXibility of operation necessary to mimic a natural hydrograph can be maintained as demonstrated by the model runs showing an availability of up to 300,000 acre-feet of water for spring release for endangered fishes 96 percent of the time (as per the 1991 biological opinion), then and only then can Stage A be operated with 57,100 acre-feet as an avera~ annual depletion. This is a requirement for the research period. Development of preliminary flow recommendations (provided hydrologic conditions allow) will occur in 1998 after the conclusion of the research, Navajo Dam operations would then be based on these flow recommendations.. Z. Reclamation has agreed to contribute funding to the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program, including funding for research necessary to complete the objectives of the approximate 7 year research effort on the San Juan River and its tributaries. The research is being conducted by knowledgeable endangered species and habitat experts and is designed to allow for testing of hypotheses. The ultimate goal of this research is to characterize those factors which limit native fish populations 1n the San Juan RIver and to provide management options to conserve and restore the endangered fish community. In order to complete the research objectives, Reclamation agrees to provide all requested test flows (test flows are based on hydrologiC conditions for each water year). These test flows will include winter releases from I