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<br />Executive Summary <br />DElS - Navajo Reservoir Operations <br /> <br />. <br />5-13 I <br /> <br />"P"'^'" . II ,__....._ ..- ." <br />L~V vanavle/ouuu AlternatIVe <br /> <br />The 250 Variable/500D Alternative was developed with the intent to minimize potential <br />impacts to downstream water users' ability to take their water at their diversion structures. <br />In addition, it would attempt to minimize impacts to downstream recreation users (trout <br />fishing and rafting) by maintaining higher minimum releases during certain critical times of <br />the year than does the 250/5000 Alternative. However, it would result in insufficient <br />reservoir storage to provide releases to meet spring peak flow criteria. <br /> <br />Under the Proposed Federal Action section of the NOI, Reclamation stated the following: <br /> <br />Reclamation proposes to prepare a DEIS which will describe the effects of <br />operating the Unit to implement the flow recommendations, or reasonable <br />alternatives, as contained in the recommendation from the Program's Biological <br />Committee resulting from consultation under the ESA. <br /> <br />To further this effort, Reclamation met with the Service on August 8, 2001, in Albuquerque, <br />New Mexico. The meeting focused on discussing the possibility of implementing the <br />250 Variable/5000 Alternative as a reasonable alternative to operating Navajo Dam to more <br />fully meet the Flow Recommendations. During the course of this discussion, it was <br />determined that the Flow Recommendations contain flexibility, at least in the short term, <br />that might allow for operations similar to those proposed in the 250 Variable/5000 <br />Alternative. This alternative was eliminated because it did not meet the Flow <br />Recommendations. <br /> <br />250/6000 Alternative <br /> <br />This alternative was considered because it was modeled and discussed in the Flow <br />Recommendations. However, studies completed by the Corps and Reclamation during the <br />summer of 1998 demonstrated that a maximum release of 6,000 cfs is not feasible without <br />performing major structural modifications to the dam's outlet works and channel and <br />diversion improvements from the dam to the Animas River confluence. <br /> <br />The Corps has determined that the current safe channel capacity for this reach is 5,000 cfs. <br />Further, alternatives with the 6,000-cfs maximum release reduce the active storage of the <br />reservoir to a point where, during extended droughts, releases to the Navajo Indian <br />Irrigation Project (NIIP) could not be made. <br /> <br />00578 <br />