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<br />001551 <br /> <br />CHAPTER 3 - AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND <br />ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES <br /> <br />General <br /> <br />This chapter discusses resources that may be affected by actions taken to provide fish passage at <br />the Price-Stubb Diversion Dam, During preparation of this Draft EA, information on issues and <br />concerns was received from affected water users, resource agencies, private interests, recreational <br />interest groups and citizens, and other parties (see Chapter 4, Consultation and Coordination, for <br />further details). <br /> <br />For each resource, the potentially affected area and/or interests are identified. For significant <br />issues, existing conditions are described, and impacts expected under the No Action alternative <br />and each passage alternative are discussed. Impacts under the Fish Ladder alternatives are <br />usually similar for most resources. Where there are differences, the Fish Ladder alternatives are <br />discussed separately. The chapter concludes with a summary comparison of the alternatives and <br />a list of mitigation measures. <br /> <br />The project is in Mesa County, Colorado along the Colorado River. Mesa County has a <br />population of approximately 110,000. Grand Junction, the largest city in the area, was founded <br />in 1881. The Rio Grande Railroad extended into the area in 1882 and, soon afterward, major <br />irrigation of the valley began, The Price-Stubb Diversion Dam was completed in 1911. It was <br />used to divert irrigation water to lands in the east end of the valley until 1918, when <br />Reclamation's Grand Valley Project Diversion Dam and the Government Highline Canal were <br />constructed. Although agriculture remains important in the valley today, some light <br />manufacturing and service industries influence the economy. Tourism is also a significant source <br />of economic activity for the area. The project area is within a major transportation corridor, with <br />the Union Pacific's railroad tracks along the right bank of the river and the Interstate 70 highway <br />on the left bank. <br /> <br />The upstream extent of the area affected by the fish passage proposals, and other endangered fish <br />recovery activities for the Upper Colorado River, is the Town of Rifle in Garfield County. Rifle <br />has around 5,500 residents involved in agriculture, mining and services, Streamflows and <br />floodplain habitat of the river have been significantly altered by water diversions and uses, <br />infringement by railroads, gravel operations, highways and bridges, and by the operations of <br />upstream storage reservoirs, flood control dikes and channelization, <br /> <br />19 <br />