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<br />o <br />o <br />(~ <br />,.., <br />~. <br />~ <br /> <br />38. Comment: <br /> <br />Response: <br /> <br />39. Comment: <br /> <br />Response: <br /> <br />40. Comment: <br /> <br />in 1996-97 when Reclamation conducted the Winter Low Flow Test when <br />the effects of the same twoflow (500 vs 250 cfs) releases were compared, <br />There were no significant losses offish associated with stranding <br />associated with decreasing releases nor does Reclamation believe that <br />will occur during the proposed test. Still, areas immediately downstream <br />of the dam will be monitored asflows are reduced to identify areas where <br />trout may be stranded, if they cannot be effectively relocated at a 250 cfs <br />release and if the total numbers stranded are deemed a significant <br />potential loss, this would be grounds to terminate the test, <br /> <br />Reduced flows may dry up portions of riffles that support substantial <br />macro invertebrate production. reducing the food base for the trout fishery <br />until the macro invertebrates are able to re-establish in those areas, <br />Reclamation should try to quantify the loss, <br />Reclamation does not believe food supply (macro invertebrates) to be a <br />significant limiting factor to the trout fishery, During the 1996-97 Winter <br />Low Flow Test, trout heallh was assessed before, during and immediately <br />after the 250 cfs test, There was no appreciable loss in the condition of <br />the trout (length to weight ratio) during this period demonstrating that <br />food supply was not affected to the point of becoming a limiting factor to <br />trout, Loss of wetted area was calculated during the 4 month test and <br />there was a corresponding loss to macro invertebrate habitat, That loss <br />has been acknowledged but has been deemed insignificant in the winter <br />low flow test in that there was no corresponding loss in trout production, <br />Downstreamfrom Citizen's Ditch the loss of we tied area and supported <br />macro invertebrates would be expected to be greater, Macro invertebrate <br />populations recover quickly once adequate flow has been restored, While <br />the impact below Citizen's Ditch may be relatively extreme, it is <br />anticipated benthic communities would recovery quickly, Under a worse <br />case scenario, while aquatic insect populations recover, the trout within <br />this section of the river may lose weight but would not perish, This would <br />be a relatively short-tenn impact with all trout recovering fully within a <br />relatively short time frame, <br /> <br />The cold water trout fishery extends at least 15 miles downstream from <br />Navajo Dam and not the 7 miles stated in the draft EA. The trout fishery <br />is more than significant, as stated in the draft EA, it is considered to be one <br />of the best Rainbow trout fisheries in the lower 4-8 states, possibly in the <br />top 5 cold water resources, <br />Agreed, however, fishing decreases below the 7 mile mark. <br /> <br />If young-of-the-year trout are occupying marginal habitats along the <br />margins of the river, those habitats will be lost as the flows are reduced, <br /> <br />21 <br />