WSP11191 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

2 River Water Conservation District has completed construction and filled the new reservoir near Kremmling, Colorado. Since the 1990 biological opinion was issued, the razorback sucker was listed as endangered and critical habitat was designated for the four species of endangered fish. Therefore. section 7 regulations require the BLM to reinitiate consultation. The 1990 biological opinion analyzed impacts to both Osterhout milk-vetch and Penland beardtongue and determined that the project was not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the species. Conservation measures were prescribed for Osterhout milkvetch and have been implemented. In your July 18. 1997, biological assessment, you determined that increasing the storage capacity of Wolford Mountain Reservoir would not cause any impacts that were not considered in the 1990 biological opinion. The 1990 opinion analyzed impacts up to the 7,500 foot water elevation line and the proposed increased reservoir capacity would raise the water level to 7,489 feet. Therefore. the Service concurs with BLM's no affect determination for Osterhout milk-vetch for the proposed increased reservoir capacity. BIOLOGICAL OPINION Based upon the best scientific and commercial information that is currently available. it is the Service's biological opinion that the proposed project. as described below. is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the Colorado squawfish. humpback chub. bony tail . and razorback sucker and result in the destruction or adverse modification of their critical habitat. The Service and the proponent have developed reasonable and prudent alternatives to avoid the likelihood of jeopardy to the endangered fishes and to avoid destruction or adverse modification of their critical habitat. PROJECT DESCRIPTION Wolford Mountain Reservoir is a water storage reservoir on Muddy Creek, four miles north of Kremmling, Colorado. Muddy Creek enters the Colorado River at Kremmlin9. below the confluence of the Blue River and just upstream of Gore Canyon. Proposed modifications to Wolford Mountain Reservoir would increase the storage capacity from 60,000 acre-feet to 66,000 acre-feet due to the change in the probable maximum flood. which resulted in changes to the emergency spillway and service spillway. The newly accepted site specific determination of the probable maximum precipitation reduced the probable maximum flood from 88,000 cfs to 34.000 cfs. This reduces the frequency of usage of the emergency spillway and allows the storage of an additional 6.000 acre-feet.