WSPC112

• File Number: 8240.200.49.J
• Description: Colorado River Threatened-Endangered - RIPRAP - Price-Stubb Fish Passage - Environmental Studies
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 4/19/2004
• Author: DOI-BOR
• Title: Revised Supplemental Draft Environmental Assessment and Notice of Public Meeting - RE- Providing Endangered Fish Passage at the Price-Stubb Diversion Dam on the Colorado River - 04-19-04
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

001G61

Revised Supplemental Draft Environmental Assessment-Chapter I-Introduction

The 8-foot high Price-Stubb Diversion Dam (see Figure 1) is owned by the Palisade
Irrigation District and Mesa County Irrigation District. They completed construction of
the dam in 1911 to divert irrigation water. In 1919, the dam was no longer used
following completion of Reclamation's Grand Valley Project Diversion Dam and the
Government Highline Canal.

Since 1987, Federal and State agencies, water users and environmental interests have
been cooperating in the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program
(Recovery Program). The goal of the Recovery Program is to establish self-sustaining
populations of four endangered fish species in the Upper Colorado River Basin while
allowing for continued use and future development of Colorado River water supplies.
The Recovery Program has developed a basin-wide action plan that includes restoring
fish passage.

Access to upstream habitat of these migratory fish species has been blocked by three
irrigation diversion dams on the Colorado River (see Frontispiece Map):

1) the Grand Valley Irrigation Company (GVIC) Diversion Dam, about 3 miles
downstream of the Price-Stubb Diversion Dam;

2) The Price-Stubb Diversion Dam (discussed in this Draft EA); and

3) The Grand Valley Project Diversion Dam, about 5.3 miles upstream of the Price-Stubb
Diversion Darn.

In March 1998, a notch was completed in the GVIC Diversion Darn and a fish
passageway was constructed below it. The passageway consists of rocks placed in the
Colorado River channel to form a series of riffles and pools. In 2003, fish passage
construction began at the Grand Valley Project Diversion Darn. Fish passage
construction will be completed in 2004. This Draft EA references information from the
Final EA's for passage at the GVIC and the Grand Valley Project Diversion Dams
(Reclamation, 1997; Reclamation, 2002b). Both EAs discussed the need for fish
passages to help restore populations of the razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) and the
Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius).

The Recovery Program's target date for construction of a fish passage at the Price-Stubb
Diversion Dam is September 2006. Providing fish passage at these three dams will
provide endangered fish access to approximately 50 miles of critical habitat upstream of
the Grand Valley Project Diversion Dam.

Need: Action is needed to restore fish passage at the Price-Stubb Diversion Dam to
meet the agreed upon schedule ofthe basin-wide Recovery Program and make sufficient
progress toward recovering the endangered fish.

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