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<br />,,- <br /> <br />", .... .. <br /> <br />- 14 - <br /> <br />Rick Gold suggested that small groups of experts should <br />attack the various elements of the development of a "reasonable <br />and prudent" ~lternative. Mr. Buterbaugh of F&WS concurred and <br />further emphasized that the reason for the present meeting was <br />because the USBR first draft of letter did not express the water <br />availability flexibility (using releases from Navajo Dam, etc.) <br />that the Bureau later developed. <br /> <br />Scott McElroy re-emphasized the point that the Ute Indians <br />water rights settlement must be included - possibly in No.3 above. <br /> <br />John Murphy asked why it was necessary to divide the Animas- <br />LaP1ata Project into two parts. Rick Gold responded that the USBR <br />had been very careful to never say that it was going to divide A-LP. <br />The proposed process for developing the "reasonable and prudent" <br />alternative with the 5-year research period fit the 12-year constuc- <br />tion schedule very well because under that schedule it would be <br />five years after the beginning of construction before work could start <br />on the irrigation features. He explained that the construction of <br />Ridges Basin Dam, Durango Pumping Plant and inlet canal first with <br />other features to follow was similar to scheduling the construction of <br />the entire A-LP into a Phase I and Phase II configuration as was done <br />in the A-LP Cost-Sharing Agreement. <br /> <br />In response to a question about the meaning of "sufficient progress", <br />Mr. Buterbaugh responded that it involves progress in protecting the <br />endangered species. This involves looking at water requirements, water <br />quality, are the fish reproducing, and a whole list of items. He said <br />that we should be talking about the implementation plan. Note: F&WS <br />makes the final decision about "sufficient progress". <br />