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<br />Preliminary concepts needed to initiate <br />negotiation of the proposed water service <br />contract for the Monument include: <br /> <br />--A process for establishing how much water <br />can be released from storage in Blue <br />Mesa Reservoir to the Monument in any <br />given year, based on runoff forecasts and <br />other factors <br />--Defining how the water should be released <br />throughout the year (seasonal regimes) <br />--Ensuring that contract provisions are <br />compatible with State and/or Federal <br />laws and agreements which govern inter- <br />state or intrastate development of <br />Colorado River water <br />--Ensuring that the environmental resources <br />of national or statewide interest, including <br />endangered fish, are protected, <br /> <br />Contract negotiations will be held to ensure <br />that there are sufficient flows in the Gunnison <br />River to meet the purposes of the Monument <br />and to protect natural resources and <br />recreational uses of the Gunnison Gorge. The <br />contract will provide for a flow delivery <br />schedule from the upstream Aspinall Unit <br />reservoirs which should accommodate higher <br />spring flows and lower' winter flows, <br />Age'lcies ale discussillg cOllcepb UIlJ"l whidl, <br /> <br />1) target elevations in Blue Mesa Reservoir <br />would be reached to maintain conservation <br />storage and ensure there are no significant <br />impacts to recreation; <br />2) an amount of water varying with annual <br />precipitation and runoff would be delivered <br />to the Monument and Gunnison Gorge; and <br />3) water would be delivered in a more natural <br />seasonal hydrologic pattern,. with higher <br />spring flows and lower winter flows. <br /> <br />The agencies have developed a preliminary <br />working draft of the water service contract <br />which provides a starting point for them and <br />the public. It is available from Reclamation's <br />Grand Junction Projects Office (address listed <br />on next page). <br /> <br />Role of the Public <br /> <br />The public will be involved throughout the <br />process of developing the contract. Public <br />input throughout the National Environmental <br />Policy Act (NEPA) process--including <br />environmental scoping, development of <br />alternatives, and determination of the <br />environmental impacts of the alternatives--will <br />be used as an important tool in developing the <br />contract. <br /> <br />This process begins with public information <br />meetings April 28, 29, and 30, 1992, in <br />Gunnison, Montrose, and Delta Colorado, <br />respectively. These meetings will be followed <br />by environmental scoping meetings on May <br />19, 20, and 21, at the same locations. <br /> <br />The purpose of the scoping meetings will <br />be to have the public help identify <br />significant issues and develop alternatives <br />associated with the proposed contract. <br />Written input will also be accepted as part <br />of the scoping process. This input should <br />be mailed by July 15 to the Bureau of <br />Reclamation at the address indicated in the <br />following section. <br /> <br />A '''pUll UII the ,,,upiIlg {e,ult, will be <br />prepared and provided the public. A schedule <br />for NEPA compliance and completion of the <br />contract will be developed following the <br />scoping process. <br /> <br />Status reports will be mailed to people <br />wishing to receive information throughout the <br />process. Additional public meetings are also <br />anticipated, The first formal negotiation <br />session on the contract will not be held until <br />late summer 1992. The public is welcome to <br />observe all negotiation sessions. <br /> <br />2 <br />