WSP11446

• File Number: 8220.112.I
• Description: Dallas Creek Participating Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Gunnison
• Water Division: 4
• Date: 10/1/1979
• Author: USDOI-BOR
• Title: Endangered Species Assessment: Dallas Creek Project Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

potential habitat of this cactus. Inundation naturally would be an adverse

effect if the cactus were present while inclusion in the right-of-way could

have some benefical results because of control over future land use changes.

f. Beardtongue (Penstemon retrorsus)

This species of Penstemon is apparently restricted to Mancos Shale hills

east of the Uncompahgre River between Delta and Colona and also on shale

hills along the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The plant is locally

fairly common but has been proposed as endangered because of its restricted

range. The plant is usually found in association with saltbush (Atriplex

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spp.) .

The species apparently does not occur as .far south as features of the

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Dallas Creek Project. James Ratzloff (Personal communication, 1979) indicated

that he had looked for this Penstemon in the Billy Creek and Chaffee Gulch

,

areas (See figure 1) with negative results.

The Dallas Creek Project will not impact this species.

.,

D.

CUMULATIVE IMPACT CONCERNS

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The amount of water in the Colorado River available for consumptive use

in the Upper Basin has been conservatively estimated by the Secretary of

Interior at an average of 5,800,000 acre-feet annually. This estimate is

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based on provisions of the Colorado River Compact of 1922 and the Upper

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Colorado Basin Compact of 1948 and on the assumption that the Upper Basin

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would be obligated to meet one-half (750,000 acre-feet annually) pf the

commitment of the Mexican Water Treaty of 1944. Colorado's entitlement is

I

estimated at 2,976,000 acre-feet (Bureau of Reclamation, 1974).

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