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<br />MAYNES,BRADFORD&SHPS <br /> <br />ID:303-247-SS27 <br /> <br />FEB 16'96 <br /> <br />9:08 No.003 P.02 <br /> <br />MAYNES, BRADFORD, SHIPPS'" SHEFTEL <br />ATTOIlNEVS AT LAW <br /> <br />WEST BUILDING. 8351. SlCONO AVENUE, SUllE '23 <br />POST OFAC5 lOX 2717 <br />DURANGO. COLORADO 81'02-2717 <br /> <br />17O'Z47-17S5 <br />FAX: 17C)'N7-1U7 <br />FAX: 87012f7.f17Z7 <br /> <br />FJiW<< E. (SAM) MAYNE. <br />TtfOMAS ff, $HIPPe <br />JANICiS" C. IHI"..", <br />PATRICIA A. twJ.t <br />8AM W. MAYNES <br />JOHN IlMUIW lSI'DA <br />GEOFFR~Y N. CIWCI <br /> <br />February 15, 1996 <br /> <br />IVIlON v. 8MDFORD (1007 .1016) <br />tAI.8D AIlMlneD IN ARIZONA <br /> <br />VIA FACSIMILE 970-245-6933 <br /> <br />Keith Rose and Patty Schrader <br />U.S. })epartment of the Interior <br />Fish and Wildlife Service <br />Ecological Services <br />704 Horiz:on Drive, South Annex A <br />Grand Junction, CO 81506-3946 <br /> <br />Re: Animas-La Plata Biological Opinion <br /> <br />Dear Keith and Patty: <br /> <br />The following comments are submiucd on behalf of the Southern Utc )ndian Tribe and the <br />Southwestem Water ConSCIvation District of Colorado. We appreciate the Service's improvements <br />to the sections of the Biological Opinion on the frequency with which 300,000 acre-feel muS! be <br />available for release from Navajo Reservoir. Given that there is virtually no difference between "ALP <br />@ 57,100 CAP" and ALP@57,looAVO,"however, we urge the SeJVice to return to the utilization <br />of the average annual consumptive use values which praclically are more easily monitored and <br />administered than a cap value. A cap value will he difficult to project with any certainty. <br /> <br />In our comments we have underlined language to be added to the Biological Opinion. <br /> <br />1. Comment: Page I, RPA Element I: We request reconsideration of "not to exceed" language <br />and lIse of "average annual" values for monitoring purposes. <br /> <br />2. Page 1 should be corrected to read as follows: <br /> <br />1 . After reviewing baseline hydrological conditions and how Reclamation could <br />operate Navajo Dam to mimic the natural hydro graph. the Service determined <br />that an initial depletion not to exceed 5 7, 1 00 acre-feet for the Project is not <br />likely to jeopardize the continued existcnce of the Colorado squawfish or <br />razorback sucker or adverscly modifY or destroy their critieal habitat, <br />assuming the implementation of all elements of the reasonablc and pludent <br />alternative. . . . However, the An;m~s-J.R Plata Project depletion can not <br />