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<br />') . <br />J Divisional Correspondence Only <br /> <br />. . <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE <br /> <br />'! <br />b- //6(; <br />?f 'J <br /> <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br /> <br />DA TE: March 15, 1984 <br /> <br />TO: Wildlife Commission <br /> <br />FROM: Ecological Services <br /> <br />Subject: Closed Basin Project <br /> <br />This is an information item to bring you up to date on the progress of the <br />Division's involvement in the Closed Basin Project. This is a Bureau of <br />Reclamation project located on the eastern side of the San Luis Valley. It <br />is designed to deliver water to the Rio Grande River to assist Colorado in <br />meeting its water commitments to New Mexico and Texas. Water from shallow <br />wells will be pumped into a conveyance channel and delivered to the river <br />southeast of Alamosa. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />In January 1982, the Wildlife Commission concurred in the Fish and Wildlife <br />Service report which would mitigate wildlife losses and provide for fish and <br />wildlife enhancement. The Commission agreed to cost share with the Bureau <br />of Reclamation in the development of the San Luis-Head Lakes Management Area. <br />The Division's costs at that time were estimated to be $204,000. <br /> <br />Last month, the Commission expressed an interest in construction of a fish <br />hatchery in the project area. We are evaluating the feasibility of this <br />feature and its cost to the Division. <br /> <br />The Division is involved in the following features of the Closed Basin Project. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />San Luis-Head Lakes Management Area. <br /> <br />~ <br />.~ <br />Lh <br />o <br /> <br />Before the Bureau of Reclamation will cost share in the development of this <br />area, two conditions must be met. The Division must transfer its right-of- <br />way from the State Land Board to the Bureau. We have no objection to this <br />and have discussed the, procedures with staffs from the Colorado Water Conser- <br />vation Board and the State Land Board. This transfer can be done through <br />our repayment contract with the Bureau. This land will in turn be leased <br />to the Division for management of the facilities. <br /> <br />The second condition is the repayment contract which we must sign. We plan <br />to have this ready for the Commission by July. We are also working on a <br />master management plan for the area to determine realistic cost estimates <br />for development of the area. <br /> <br />IT Russell Lakes Mitigation Area. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Senator Hart and Representative Kogovsek introduced legislation in Congress <br />in January, 1984, to authorize and fund the acquisition and development of <br />this mitigation area near Saguache. The Commission supported this proposal <br />in January 1982. According to recent sources, Congressional hearings On <br />these two bills are set for mid-April prior to the Easter recess. No problem <br /> <br />i\':'1; <br /> <br />DOW.A-F..a <br />