WSP10291

• File Number: 8220.106
• Description: Animas-La Plata
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 1/1/1994
• Author: BOR
• Title: Animas-La Plata Project Newsletter
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

CULTURAL RESOURCES - The objectives of this
study are to further assess the impact of the Project
on cultural resources and maintain up-to-<late
compliance with appropriate cultural resource laws
and regulations. A Memorandum of Understanding
with the interested Indian tribes on the treatment of
human rcmains and grave furnishings, required by
the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act, has been completed; Reclamation
is revising the Programmatic Memorandum of
Agreement for the Project with the New Mexico and
Colorado State Historic Preservation Officers and
the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
Dctailed cultural resource surveys will be conducted
on all lands that would receive Project water and the
locations oLall Project.features during,the summer
of 1994. The workplans for the surveys are
presently being developed. Reclamation will
complete the inventory, analysis and reports of
Traditional Cultural Properties, and an historic
properties inventory for Ridges Basin. Northern
Arizona University and SWCA, a private firm, are
under contract to do additional studies,

Task Leader: Warren Hurley, Upper Colorado
Rcgional Office, (303) 385..6548.

"ISH AND WILDLIFE COORDINATION ACT-
TIlis activity fulfills required coordination activities
with thc Fish and Wildlife Service, Coordination is
required on ~urunitigated resource losses" identified
by the Service on page 72 of the Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act Report (January 1993) for the
Project. Unresolved issues include replacement of
Bodo Wildlife Area, wetland impacts and mitigation
mea,ures, mitigation for fishing impacts in the
Animas River, native fishery impacts and mitigation
in the La Plata and Anima, Rivers, and mitigation of
cl k habitat.

Task Leader: Christine Kara" Upper Colorado
Regional Office, [phone].

RECREATION AND WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS
ACT.. This activity is evaluating the impact of the
Project on now-related recreation on the Animas
Rivcr, verifying the estimate of recreational visitors
at Ridges Basin Reservoir, and evaluating
compliance with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act as
il relates to the San Juan River, Animas River flow
rates wi II be assessed from Gateway Park to
Highbridge Landing to determine boatability at low
nows and provide an accurate basis to determine

mitigation measures required to offset impacts. The
estimated visitation for recreation at Ridges Basin
Reservoir, as presented in the 1980 Final
Envirorunental Statement and 1992 Draft
Supplement, will be verified by analyzing new
population data and projeeted recreation use.
Coordination with the National Park Service and
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is needed to
analyze the impact of the Project on a portion of the
San Juan River which is presently under study by
the BLM for designation under the Wild and Scenic
Rivers Act

Task Leader: Deborah Overton, Denver Office,
[phone].

Task Leader: Mark Chiarito, Durango Projects
Office, [phone].

NATIVE FlSHERY - The purpose of this study is to
analyze the impact of the Project on the native
fIShery, particularly the roundtail chub. The
roundtail chub is an Endangered Species Act -
Category II candidate species because it is declining
in number, needs additional study, and could be
listed as threatened or endangered in the near future.
The study focuses on those reaches of the Animas,
La Plata, and Mancos Rivers affected by the Project.
Specific tasks include a systematic study of native
fish (with emphasis on roundtail chub) population
densities, distributions, movements, and habitat

Proposed Durango Pumping Plant.

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