WSP11688

• File Number: 8220.104.I
• Description: Flaming Gorge
• State: UT
• Basin: Yampa/White/Green
• Date: 11/25/1992
• Author: USDOI-USFWS
• Title: Final Biological Opinion on the Operation of Flaming Gorge Dam - ‎(Part 1 of 2)‎
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Biological Opinion

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INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

In a February 27, 1980, memarandum to the Regional Director of the Upper
Colorado Regian, Water and Power Resources Service, now Bureau of Reclamation
(Reclamation), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) requested
consultation on projects under construction and on the continued operation of
all existing Reclamatian projects in the Upper Colorado River Basin.
. Reclamation agreed with the Service's request and by memorandum dated
March 27, 1980, formalized the initiation of consultation an Flaming Gorge
Dam. On August 9, 1991, the Western Area Power Administration (Western Power)
became a party to this consultation, with Reclamation remaining the lead
agency.

Coincident with issuance of the Biological Opinion for the Strawberry Aqueduct
and Collection System (Strawberry System) dated February 27, 1980
(subsequently amended on August 31, 1990), Section 7 consultation began on the
continued .operation of Flaming Gorge Dam. The Strawberry System biological
opinion determined that depletions in the amount of 108,000 acre-feet from the
Duchesne and Green Rivers would be "likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of the Colarado squawfish and humpback chub." The 1978 amendments
to the Endangered Species Act (Act) allowed for development of a reasonable
and prudent alternative if a jeopardy opinian was issued. The reasonable and
prudent alternative for the Strawberry System was that Flaming Gorge Dam and
reservoir would compensate for those depletions and would be oDerated for the
benefit of endangered fish.

Jeopardy opinions also were issued for the Upalco, Jensen, and Uinta projects
of the Central Utah Project during the late 1970's and early 1980's. The
reasonable and prudent alternative for each of these jeopardy opinions was
reoperation of Flaming Gorge Dam to provide flows required for endangered
fish. In addition, the Service stated that it would further evaluate and
recommend flows needed by the endangered fish in a biological opinion for the
continued operation of Flaming Gorge Dam. Biological opinions issued for the
Narrows Project (March 25, 1992) and the Price-San Rafael Salinity Control
Project (February 4, 1992) also are linked to this opinian. As stated in the
Narrows Project Opinion "Acceptance and implementation of the reasonable and
prudent alternative in that [Flaming Gorge] biological opinion will constitute
progress under the Recovery Program to offset the impacts of the Narrows
Project . . .. In the event that the reasonable and prudent alternative in
the Flaming Gorge final draft biological opinion is not accepted .or
implemented by the time construction . . . of the Narrows Project begins,
additional measures may be required ta offset the effects of this depletion."
Similar language is contained in the Price-San Rafael Salinity Control Project
biological opinion. "

After completion of the Strawberry System opinion, the Service and Reclamation
determined that insufficient data existed on flow requirements of endangered
Colorada River fish and that a biolagical opinion on the continued operation
of Flaming Gorge Dam should not be issued until further studies were
conducted. From 1980-1991 there was a series of agreements between the
Service and Reclamation delaying the issuance of a biological .opinion until
studies were completed and enough scientific data collected to recommend
specific flows. Flows within the operational criteria for Flaming Gorge Dam,
without special considerations for the Colorado River fish, were evaluated