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<br />OOJS-j3 <br /> <br />Cimarron Dred~in~ Environmental Assessment <br /> <br />are turbid. fishing success may be reduced and the river may become difficult to navigate by <br />boat. thus reducing the quality of the recreational experience. In addition, access to the upper end <br />of Crystal Reservoir would be restricted during the dredging period (approximately 6 weeks)_ <br />Restricting dredging activities to October and November would reduce the likelihood of conflicts <br />with recreational uses. Minor impacts to recreation are projected because recreation uses drop <br />sharply in October and November. primarily because of cooler weather associated with the higher <br />mountain elevations. <br /> <br />Water quality is discussed in greater detail in the Water Resources section of this chapter. <br /> <br />Land Use and Vel!etation <br /> <br />The project area is located on lands of the United States withdrawn for the construction and <br />operation of the Aspinall Unit- The property is co-managed by Reclamation and the National <br />Park Service for hydropower generation. water storage and recreation_ <br /> <br />The canyon was created by the Gunnison River cutting through Precambrian rock. Vegetation <br />resources within the project area are limited because of the nature of the rock canyon walls_ <br />Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana). box-elder (Acer negundo). narrow-leaf cottonwood (Populus <br />angustifolia). and poison ivy (Rhus radicans) are common in the canyon along the river banks <br />(NPS 200 I). The No Action and Proposed Action are expected to have no effect on land use or <br />vegetation resources_ <br /> <br />.. <br /> <br />The proposed action was also evaluated to determine if the dredging activity could start a headcut <br />that would move up the Cimarron River. Material deposited at the contluence of the Cimarron <br />River and upper end of Crystal Reservoir has likely changed the lower portion of the Cimarron <br />River's elevation. It is anticipated that once the deposited material is removed, the Cimarron <br />River will adjust to the change in the downstream elevation to reach a new stream equilibrium. It <br />is predicted that the Cimarron's elevation will more closely resemble its post channel <br />improvement elevation somewhere between the 1965 elevation (Channellmprovemem Date) <br />and the post-deposition elevation (after the 1983 high flow event which deposited the material). <br />This change is expected to be minor. <br /> <br />Fish and Wildlife Resources <br /> <br />The Gunnison River and its canyon walls support wildlife including beaver (Castor canadensis), <br />mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). stone fly. ringtail cat (Bassariscus astutus), great homed owl <br />(Bubo virginianus), western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis). yellow warbler (Dendroica <br />petechia). rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and brown trout (Salmo tmtta) (NPS 200 I). <br /> <br />The fishery resource of the Gunnison River below Crystal Reservoir is managed by the Colorado <br /> <br />II <br />