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<br />UU16U2 <br /> <br />for water development and management activities in the basin." (emphasis <br />added) <br /> <br />The document defines procedures for consultation on both existing and new depletions. New <br />depletions are contemplated to occur in the San Juan basin, in compliance with the Endangered <br />Species Act. <br /> <br />Furthermore, with respect to Section 7 consultations, the San Juan Recovery Implementation <br />Program has developed a hydrologic model for the basin to be used in determining the impacts of <br />any given project on the flow recommendations. This model has been run and as indicated in the <br />addendum to the biological assessment will not adversely impact the flow recommendations. <br />Therefore, the assertions by New Mexico, Navajo's and Jicarilla's are unfounded in this respect. <br />Furthermore, those assertions fail to recognize the terms of the La Plata River Compact, which <br />requires Colorado to deliver certain quantities of water at the stateline. Colorado has no <br />obligation to assist in maintaining flows in the San Juan River from the La Plata basin, which is <br />relatively dry and contributes very little water to San Juan River on the whole in most years <br />anyway. <br /> <br />Re-operation of Navaio Dam to Benefit Endane:ered Species <br /> <br />As referred to in the comments by Jicarilla Apache Nation and Navajo Nation, the San Juan <br />Recovery Implementation Program developed flow recommendations to benefit endangered <br />species. These recommendations call for re-operation of Navajo Reservoir to aid in achieving <br />the flow recommendations. <br /> <br />Re-operation of Navajo Dam by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) requires compliance <br />with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEP A). Pursuant to NEP A, Reclamation initiated <br />an EIS to review alternatives for achieving compliance with the Endangered Species Act through <br />re-operation of Navajo Dam and developed a "Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Navajo <br />Reservoir Operations, Navajo Unit - San Juan River New Mexico, Colorado, Utah" (DEIS) <br />(Bureau of Reclamation, September, 2002). Reclamation sought extensive public comment and <br />is in the process of finalizing the environmental impact statement and issuing a record of <br />decision, which is expected in mid-2004.h <br />5 <br />