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<br />Water levels in Navajo Reservoir will not be noticeably affected during the test and associated <br />recreation, fisheries, and cultural resources should not be affected. Water quality will decline <br />between the dam and Farmington as the dilution effects of dam releases are reduced. <br /> <br />Float fishing in the tail water fishery may be affected in two manners: lower flows will reduce the <br />depth and navigability of the river and potential clients of commercial guides may avoid the river <br />during the test. Walk-wade fishing effects are difficult to project. On one hand, publicity on the <br />test may deter some anglers from fishing that week. On the other hand, lower flows often attract <br />anglers as wading is easier and there is a belief that the lower flows may concentrate fish. Less <br />effect should occur to recreational floating downstream from Farmington as inflow from the <br />Animas River and other tributaries should keep flows above 500 cfs. <br /> <br />The same publicity may have an adverse effect on commercial recreation services and operations <br />downstream of Bluff, Utah. Potential impacts to these areas include raft trip cancellations and <br />merchant income such as store, motel, and vehicle shuttle businesses (99% of shuttles are <br />operated by native Americans and in may cases this is their only income). Other affected <br />interests include restaurants, souvenir and recreation equipment rentals and sales. <br /> <br />Hydropower revenues would be reduced during the test as less water would be available to the <br />city of Farmington for generation. <br /> <br />Low flows in the San Juan River will not affect operation of the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project <br />since project water is delivered directly from Navajo Dam. The Navajo Nation's Fruitland, <br />Hogback, and Cudei irrigation project diversions on the San Juan River are located downstream <br />from the confluence of the Animas River. No impact is expected to these diversions since flows <br />of at least 500 cfs will be maintained in this reach of the San Juan River during the test. Due to <br />the short duration of the test, future development ofIndian Trust Asset water rights associated <br />with long-term changes in reservoir operations will not be affected. The test is not expected to <br />affect any treaty-based fishing, hunting, gathering, and similar rights of access and resource use <br />on traditional tribal lands. <br /> <br />CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION <br /> <br />The test is part of the enviromnental review and data collection process for preparation of the <br />draft Navajo Reservoir Operations EIS. Public meetings were held in Farmington, NM on June <br />12,2000 to alert the public to the proposed 2000 low-flow test and the reasons behind it. <br />Although the 2000 test was canceled, the concerns reflected remain applicable for the proposed <br />2001 test. Much of the audience consisted of recreation users of the river and irrigation, <br />municipal, and industrial water users. At the meeting in Farmington, many of the public who <br />spoke were very concerned with long-term impacts of low (250 cfs) flows. A portion of the <br />audience saw value in the test for better predicting impacts of long-term changes, while a portion <br />were opposed to the test with concerns about water diversions, recreation, and the fishery <br /> <br />7 <br />