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OJ3JG5 Henry Maddux Director, Recovery Program UPPER COIORAID RIVER ENDANGERED FISH RECOVERY PRffiRAM Ralph Morgenweck Chairman, Implementation Committee U,S, Fish and Wildlife Service. P,O, Box 25486 . Denver Federal Center · Denver, CO 80225 · (303) 236-2985 . Fax (303) 236-5262 SP-40C 75g CO/KSINEIUT -CR/FY -OO/Rivers-- Upper CO River-Ruedi Reservoir releases Mail Stop 65115 JUN 2 3 2000 RECEIVED JUN 2 6 2 'DOO COlorado W C':mservati ater On Board Peter Evans, Director Colorado Water Conservation Board 1313 Sherman Street Denver, Colorado 80203 Dear Peter: The Colorado Water Conservation Board (Board) has requested as a part of contractual agreements with the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), and the Colorado River Water Conservation District that the Service provide periodic reports on the benefits of 1999 Ruedi Reservoir releases for endangered fish. This letter responds to that request, and also serves as a concluding report to fulfill the Service's contractual obligation with Reclamation. This year, the report covers releases from Ruedi and Wolford Mountain Reservoirs and the benefits to the IS-Mile Reach of the Colorado River near Grand Junction, Colorado. Beginning in 1989, Reclamation in coordination with the Service and the Board began a program of releasing water from Ruedi Reservoir for endangered fish. The effort has changed and expanded over the years as the Recovery Program has secured other sources to meet flow recommendations in the IS-Mile Reach. The Recovery Program now entails a significant coordination effort which was put in place by the Orchard Mesa Check Settlement. The 1999 late summer release was the second year of using surplus Green Mountain Historic Users Pool (HUP) water pursuant to the Orchard Mesa Check Settlement. Ruedi and Green Mountain Reservoirs both filled by mid- summer 1999 and 31,650 acre-feet was available from Ruedi Reservoir for flow augmentation for endangered fish. The Green Mountain HUP pool of 66,000 acre-feet was also available to be allocated according to the rule curve established in the Check Settlement. The River District also notified the Service that 6,000 acre-feet of water was available from Wolford Mountain Reservoir for flow augmentation for endangered fish. In early summer, the Service set the mean monthly target flows for the 15-Mile Reach at 1,240 cfs, based on an 80% exceedance, for a drier than average year. By the second week of August, hydrologic conditions in the basin had improved, and the Service revised the flow target to 1,630 cfs, which is the Services flow recommended for an average, or 50% exceedance, water year. U,S, Fish and Wildlife Service. U,S, Bureau of Reclamation. Western Area Power Administration. Colorado · Utah. Wyoming Environmental Defense Fund . National Audubon Society . Colorado Wildlife Federation . Wyoming Wildlife Federation Colorado Water Congress . Utah Water Users Association . Wyoming Water Development Association . Colorado River Energy Distributors Association