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<br />c' <br /> <br />, . <br /> <br />,---~~ .......!:'.,:.-...-.. -.-.::-_......' <br /> <br />~ .~-' - <br /> <br />", <br /> <br />5uJ c..uo.Jrer cJ. ~rs <br /> <br />APPENDIX A <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />ELEMENTS OP A REASONABLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE: <br /> <br />'. <br /> <br />A. Initiate a San Juan Basin Endangered fish Recovery Program. 11Us recovery' <br />program would be fashioned after the one developed for the Green and Colorado <br />Rivers. The goal of the program is to further investi2llte t,be bio-Iogical and <br />hydrological feasibility of recovering the endangered fish (Colorado squawfish and <br />razorback sucker) in the San Juan River. If it is detennined that program can be <br />successfully implemented, five basic reCovery elements would be instituted: <br />1. habitat management, 2. habitat development and maintenance, 3, Iitocldng <br />of native fish species, 4. non.native Iipecles and sportfish management, <br />5. researd1, long.term monitoring and data management. <br /> <br />The recovery program would be developed cooperatively and signed by the States <br />of Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, the Southern Ute, Ute Mowuain Ute, Navajo <br />and Jicarilla Indian Tribes, the Department of lnterior with representation from the <br />Bureaus of R-Iamlltion and Indian Affairs and the U.S. fish and Wildlife Service. <br />Representatives of the environmental commw1ity may participate if they desire. <br /> <br />!h <br /> <br />The San Juan Basin Endangered fish Recovery Program (SJRP) will be developed <br />immediately to ensure that recovery activities are promptly initiated, and to permit <br />utilizations of the water resources of the San Juan River. <br /> <br />In meeting these objectives of the recovery program. the existing obligatioDS of the <br />federal government under the Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights SeWf'Illf'tlt ht <br />of 1988 et a1, shall be recognized. <br /> <br />B. The Bureau of R.ec1amation will provide 500,000 acre-feet of storage space and its <br />accompanying yield in Navajo Reservoir to the SJRP as its primary water <br />managpmpnt tool. It has been detennined that SJRP use of this storage space and <br />its accompanying yield will not interfere with New Mexico's ability to develop its <br />entid"m('n( under the Colorado River Compact, The 500,000 aae.feet of storage <br />and accompanying yield would be provided to the SJRP imm~iate1y and for as <br />long as the R.ecovel)' Program exists. The filling of SJRP storage ia IUbordlnatl!cr <br />to the filling of the non.sJRP storage space in Navajo Raervoir. The SJRP will <br />dictate the timing and rate of release of water held in its Navajo Reservoir <br />account, The man....r of use of SJRP storage will dictate the yield av-ilabJe to the <br />SJRP, POI' ..vamp!e, it is estimated that releases of 300,000 Iae fee[ could be <br />made &om SJRP ltorage in four out of evel)' ten years. The provision of storage j <br />space and accompanying yield provides needed flexibility for the SJRP since water <br />requirements of the ..nd""gered fish are not clearly known. <br /> <br />The Bureau of p....lamation will al&o make available for use by the SJRP that <br />portion of the current minimum pool of 660,000 acre.feet if it is <f............reel that <br />provision of that storage will DOt intedere with CWTeDt 01' future dellvel)' <br />obligations &om the Reservoir. <br />