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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Agenda Item 15a, March 5-6, 1992, Board Meeting-- <br />Final Notice, Instream Flow Appropriations, 15 Mile Reach, Colorado River <br />(July-August-September) - Mesa County <br /> <br />Jackson: <br /> <br />J encsok: <br /> <br />Okay, we're ready for Item 15, Endangered Species. Gene <br /> <br />15a is the final notice of instream flow appropriations for the famous or <br />infamous 15 Mile Reach. We discussed this issue numerous times over the <br />last couple of years and let me summarize briefly for you what is going on <br />here. The Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service believes the 15 Mile <br />Reach of the Colorado River is important for endangered squawfish. The <br />Service has prepared full recommendation for the July-August-September <br />period in a report entitled "Biological Defensible Flow Recommendations <br />for Maintenance and Enhancement of the Squawfish Habitat in the 15 <br />Mile Reach of the Upper Colorado River During July, August and <br />September." The Board has reviewed or the staff has reviewed this report <br />and made its recommendation to the Board at past Board meetings. The <br />Board determined that the biological and scientific study was sufficient for <br />an instream flow appropriation in this reach. A water availability study was <br />conducted by the Water Conservation Board and was presented to the <br />Board at least two or three different times both for review and comment <br />and then final acceptance. At the conclusion of the water availability study <br />the Board directed the staff to go ahead with a preliminary notice of <br />instream flow recommendations. That preliminary notice was mailed out <br />to a wide variety of water users both in the West Slope and the East Slope <br />and those included County Commissioners, Water Conservancy and <br />Conservation Districts, the Division Engineers, then the Water Board, more <br />than--very broad range of interest that would have an interest in the 15 <br />Mile Reach. There is also that preliminary notice that received comments <br />from Tom Pitts representing the Water Congress and from John Hamill for <br />the Fish and Wildlife Service and those were presented to you at the last <br />Board meeting and we have those comments in the files. At the <br />