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<br />points of diversion. If a current downstream user/diverter were allowed to begin diverting further <br />upstream, return flows would enter the MA should the rights be moved into one of the three Red <br />Mesa ditches or above, or through Long Hollow, where the return flows could benefit the lowest <br />reach on the MA' s wetland/riparian area. <br /> <br />Adding water to the return flows could only help the MA. Any requested change in point of <br />diversion that could injure the water users of the three ditches which provide return flows to the <br />MA would be protested in water court. <br /> <br />3.2.2.5.2 Impact to High Spring Flows in the MA from Changes in Point of Diversion <br /> <br />Moving diversions to upstream locations might, in fact, have a small impact to peak flows <br />through the MA, but much less than any of the reservoir developments discussed previously, <br />because the probable amount of water would be relatively negligible. It would take several <br />water rights owners all moving their rights upstream to generate a detectable change to peak <br />flows through the MA. <br /> <br />3.2.2.5.3 Changes in Point of Diversion Impacts in the MA Assessment Conclusion <br /> <br />The likelihood of having diversions with a significant amount of water moved upstream to have <br />an impact on the MA is negligible. This is because of the number of diversions below the MA <br />and their priority. Although highly unlikely to occur, should a new diversion be put in the MA, <br />there could be an immediate and significant effect to the wetland/riparian habitat below that point <br />during low flow conditions. <br /> <br />Reclamation is committed to monitoring the operations and development in the La Plata River <br />Basin. If it is determined that there would be significant negative impacts from a change in <br />points of diversion, Reclamation will augment suipplies to insure that adequate water is <br />available to maintain the MA. The various steps and measures that Reclamation would take are <br />discussed in Section 3.2.3 <br /> <br />3.2.2.6 Reduction in Irrigation on Contributing Lands <br /> <br />Possibly the greatest potential impact that could occur over time to flows in and through the MA <br />is from the change in land use in the La Plata River drainage. One of the reasons Reclamation <br />chose the particular property as the MA was to keep the ecosystem intact by protecting it from <br />residential development. <br /> <br />The population of the southwestern Colorado area is growing rapidly and the use ofland for <br />residential lots is increasing accordingly, thus shifting land use away from larger scale <br />agricultural applications or towards improved irrigation techniques. In the short term, this is not <br />likely to affect the mitigation program or the water flows in the La Plata River, but over time <br /> <br />-31- <br />