WSPC166 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

,,,; () '\ '-" 6 UUl:Jl. Issue: Reclamation has an existing agreement with the Colorado Water Conservation Board to maintain 300 cfs of river flow below the Redlands Diversion Dam. Existine: Conditions: In 1996, Reclamation entered into an agreement with the Colorado Water Conservation Board to deliver water from the Aspinall Unit to ensure that a minimum of 300 cfs was maintained downstream of the Redlands Diversion Dam in the months of July through October for the benefit of the Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker. The 300 cfs is used to operate the Redlands fish passage way and maintain adequate flows to allow endangered fish to navigate upstream from the Colorado River to the fish passage entrance. During the drought of 2002, RWPC entered into an agreement with the Colorado River District to forego power production in lieu of payment for power interference to prevent a Gunnison River call to upstream junior water users. This also allowed for the continued operation of the fish passageway and sufficient flows downstream of the dam during the drought. Reclamation is in the process of beginning to prepare an environmental impact statement for re- operations of the Aspinall Unit to meet endangered fish flow recommendations. The flow recommendations call for releases from the Aspinall Unit that more closely resemble a natural hydro graph with high spring releases and lower base flows. Endangered fish flows to operate the Redlands fish passageway and fish screen will also be incorporated into the Aspinall re- operations. No Action: Under the No Action Alternative, additional flows would not be needed for the Red1ands fish screen. Proposed Action: Under the proposed action, 40 cfs of the 300 cfs minimum flow below the Red1ands Diversion Dam would be used to operate the fish screen. The 40 cfs would be diverted at the diversion dam into the Redlands Power Canal and returned to the Gunnison River via the fish return pipeline. Water Quality Issue: Fish screen construction could cause temporary water quality changes downstream. This could affect the ability of the downstream domestic water providers to meet drinking water standards and protect public safety. 'Existine: Conditions: The City of Grand Junction has a domestic water right of 18.6 cfs upstream of the Redlands Diversion Dam. This source is designed to supplemental other sources. There are no downstream domestic water providers in the Gunnison or Colorado River downstream of the Redlands Diversion Dam that would be affected. The closest domestic water 12