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<br />,-" <br /> <br />0007 H <br /> <br />Threatened and Endangered Species <br /> <br />Informal consultation with the U,S, Fish and Wildlife Service (Service. 2001) identified no <br />threatened or endangered species that could be directly affected by the proposed action. <br />Reclamation has a contract with the Service to deliver water over the Redlands Division Dam to <br />benefit endangered fish. Contract No, 95-07-40R 1760 (300 cfs) has a shortage clause during dry <br />years and Reclamation is currently working on a proposed operations scheme that is less than <br />300 cfs during the July-October months, Additionally. if !lushing flows were needed to remove <br />large volumes of deposited sediments from the Gunnison River. tlushing flows could affect the <br />U.S, Fish and Wildlife Service's razorback sucker stocking program. <br /> <br />The proposed action would not affect Reclamation's contract to deliver contract flows over the <br />Redlands Diversion Dam and large volumes of deposited sediments in the Gunnison River are <br />not predicted. Additional consultation with the U,S, Fish and Wildlife Service and CDOW <br />would be needed to implement flushing !lows as a mitigation measure, <br /> <br />Water Quality <br /> <br />Water quality is good in the Gunnison River above its contluence with the North Fork of the <br />Gunnison River. The Aspinall Unit acts as a sink for suspended solius anu provides constant <br />cold-water releases, The clarity (total suspenued solids and lotal dissolved solids) and <br />temperature of the Gunnison River creates an exccllcnt trout tishery and provides recreational <br />opportunities for tishing. rafting. and other forms of recreation, <br /> <br />The Gunnison River anu the three reservoirs are c1assilied by the Colorado Water Quality <br />Control Commission as Aquatic Life Cold I. Recreation I, Water Supply and Agriculture. and <br />designated as Anti-degradation Reviewable waters (previously a High Water Quality 2 <br />designation), The Aquatic Life Cold I classification denotes waters. which support a wide <br />variety of cold water biota. Recreation I waters are suitable for primary human contact <br />incluuing swimming. kayaking. rafting. and water-skiing, The Water Supply and Agriculture <br />c1assilications denote that the waters are suitable for such purposes. The anti-degradation <br />reviewable designation recognizes water. which are not outstanding state or national resources <br />but exhibit high water quality, These waters yield to the anti-degradation review process, a <br />process that allows degradation of water quality if economic or social benefits override water <br />quality benefits (Long et al. 1995). <br /> <br />Signilicant changes in water quality could negatively affect downstream trout lisheries and <br />recreation. A cloudy (turbid) Gunnison River would reduce angling success, make river running <br />more dimcult (cannot see rocks and other obstructions), and generally detract from the scenic <br />views in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and the Gunnison Gorge, <br /> <br />Associatcd with the proposed action. Reclamation began monitoring water quality parameters on <br />a monthly basis in April 200 \, Seven sample sites were established within the Aspinall Unit <br />(See Figure 5), Water quality parameters measureu will continue and incluue: <br />16 <br />