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l r outside the 130,000-acre project boundary. The identifica~ion will assure that the drawdown will not exceed 2 feet outside the project boundary. Records of these measurements will be available to the public. A total of 1,107 acre-feet of artesian water rights will annually be required for mitigation of project effects. The points of use of the acquired water rights will be transferred to the Alamosa NWR and Blanca WHA. About 800 acre- feet of these water rights will be transferred to Alamosa NWR and 307 aCre-feet to Blanca WHA. Three conveyance channel turnout structures, each with a capacity to deliver 4,500 acre-feet in a 120-day period, will be provided on the A1amosa NWR. The conveyance channel will cross 1" 3 miles of the eastern portion of Blanca WHA. The effects of conveyance channel and drawdown pumping on Blanca WHA will be mitigated with 1,107 acre-feet of water per year. Of this amount, 800 acre- feet will be diverted from the conveyance channel and 307 acre-feet will be obtained from transferred water rights. A check structure to maintain water level in the conveyance channel at or above existing ground water elevation will be placed immediately south of the southern boundary of the Blanca WHA. Two water turnout structures from the channel will be provided--one at the northern end of the channel where it enters Blanca WHA and one near the southern end of the channel in Blanca. An additional 2,500 feet of open-earth ditches will be provided to move delivered water through wetland areas. Ten waterfowl nesting islands will be provided at selected pond locations. About 1,700 feet of open- earth ditches will be provided to move the water to areas where it can be most beneficially used. Some 4,000 feet of dike disturbed by construction will be replaced. Mishak NWR, as described in the authorizing legislation and in the 1979 FES, is no longer being considered for establishment. As much as 12,500 acre-feet of project water would have been used to develop and manage the 5,000 acres of wetlands and wetland habitat proposed in the plan of development for Mishak NWR. This water was to be a one-for-one exchange of surface water inflow to Mishak NWR. During the high water runoff year, 1979, the maximum total amount of sur- face water present in the Mishak NWR was less than 325 acres. Preliminary analyses (1979 FES) estimated wetlands affected totaled 40,000 acres. Final analyses show that only 8,460 acres of wetlands will be affected. An additional 16,098 acres of terrestrial vegetation will also be affected. The combination of reduced project effects on wetlands and annual water supply has resulted in the proposal that Russell Lakes WMA be substituted for Mishak NWR. The proposed Russell Lakes WMA will contain approximately 4,640 acres. About 1,900 acres of wetland and wetland habitat now exist in the Russell Lakes area. Further development and management of Russell Lakes WMA will increase the area of the wetlands and wetland habitat to about 3,000 acres. Russell Lakes WMA will be managed and administered by the CDW. e r .,,; '.....'..C ',.J \. ..:\.0. L .