WSP09003 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

., '" 0007J2 Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park - The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (fonnerly Nalional Monument until 1999) was established by Presidential Proclamation No. 2033 (47 Stat 2558) to preserve the spectacular gorge and other objects of scenic. scientific, and educational interests. The Park includes 14 miles of the Gunnison River downslream from the Aspinall Unit. Gunnison Gorge Special Recreation Area - The Bureau of Land Management manages the area below the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park including an additional 16 miles of the Gunnison River. Gold Medal Trout Fisheries - The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) has classified the Gunnison River from the upper end of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park to the contluence of the North Fork River as a Gold Medal Trout Fishery, Crystal Trash Rack Cleaning Project - In 1999. Reclamation lowered the water surface at Crystal Reservoir and cleaned its trash racks, Morrow Point Dam continued to peak releases during the trash rack cleaning project. which resulted in exposed sediments being picked up by Morrow Point releases and deposited downstream of Crystal Dam in the Gunnison River. Flushing tlows were needed to remove sediments in downstream rainbow and brown trout spawning areas, Public Scoping Reclamation identitied issues and concerns with participation from individuals. agencies. and organizations that may be affected by the project. The Morrow Point Trash Rack Cleaning Project was first presented to the general public at the January 2001 Aspinall operations meeting. On January 25. 2001. a public scoping letter was mailed to interested panies and was published in the Grand Jt/llctioll Daily Semillel. Additional discussion was conducted at the January and April 2002 Aspinall operations meeting. Each issue and concern described below is discussed in Chapter 3. More infonnation on public scoping activities is included in Chapter 4. Water Resources The proposed action has the potential to temporarily affect water quality downstream of Morrow Point Dam, Concerns focus around total suspended solids (TSS). total dissolved solids (TDS). turbidity. and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels below Crystal Reservoir. The Gunnison Tunnel. operated by the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association (UVWUA) below Crystal Reservoir. diverts water for irrigation and municipal use in the Montrose and Delta areas. The proposed action has the potential to temporarily affect water storage and supply if releases from Crystal Reservoir are affected, Trout Fisheries 4