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<br />., <br /> <br />Recovery of endangered fish is certainly not without significant expense, controversy, or <br />problems; however, it is recognized by many water leaders in the region, that the Recovery <br />Program is the best way to avoid conflicts between endangered species recovery and use of water <br />to protect the quality of peoples' lives, It is a cost of having reliable and safe water supplies, now <br />and in the future, <br /> <br />Concerning the Redlands Fish Ladder, 1997 is the first full year of operation and when the draft <br />EA on the GVIC fish passage was released, only one Colorado squawfish had used the Redlands <br />Ladder. At the time of printing ofthis FONSI, a total of 18 Colorado squawfish have now used <br />the ladder and moved up into the Gunnison River. This level of use indicates that fish will use <br />these ladders/passages and upstream habitats will be opened up for the fish. In addition to the <br />endangered fish, thousands of other native fish have used the Redlands ladder. <br /> <br />No negative impacts to vegetation and wildlife are predicted as aresult of the project. Potential <br />benefits are seen for the recovery of two endangered fish species, Land use and private property <br />would not be affected. <br /> <br />The project is designed to give complete protection to GVIC water rights and uses. In certain <br />low flow conditions, streamflows could be augmented to allow upstream passage of the <br />endangered fish during the July to' October period, Reclamation has storage water in Ruedi <br />Reservoir that is committed to the Recovery Program which can be used to augment the <br />streamflows, <br /> <br />The biological opinion on the project addresses the potential loss of endangered fish in the GVIC <br />canal as a result of the fish passage. Section 9 of the Endangered Species Act prohibits the taking <br />of listed species without proper Federal and state permits. "Taking" is defined broadly to include <br />activities from harassment to capture. Incidental take refers to takings that result from, but are <br />not the purpose of, carrying out an otherwise lawful activity conducted by a Federal agency or <br />applicant. On this fish passage project, the primary concern is the potential loss of fish into the <br />GVIC canal, The biological opinion on the project authorizes an acceptable level of incidental <br />take, and exempts GVIC from any responsibility for "take" resulting directly or indirectly related <br />to the fish passage project. The opinion also calls for fish screens or fish preclusion devices for <br />subadult and adult fish at the GVIC canal intake, if determined necessary and funded by the <br />Recovery Program. The opinion concludes that endangered fish would be affected in a beneficial <br />manner; other endangered species would not be affected, <br /> <br />The GVIC Diversion Dam is potentially eligible to the National Register of Historic Places based <br />on its importance to the early development of western Colorado and possibly due to its original <br />design, The original wooden cribbing diversion dam was modified to add a concrete cutoff wall <br />on the upstream side of the dam and a concrete cap across its crest in about 1980, The function <br />and use of the diversion will not be affected by the passage project and the construction may <br />allow the opportunity to view and record a portion of the original wooden cribbing design, <br /> <br />The project is not expected to have significant social, economic, or recreation impacts, Water <br />supplies would not be affected, and the relatively small size of the project would not infuse <br />