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~ ~ Fish andW ildlife Service Programs The Fish and Wildlife Service has several major installations in Colorado. These include: The Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge which is located in the San Luis Valley in the south- central part of the State. It contains approxi- mately 10,500 acres and another 800 acres are leased. The primary purpose of the refuge is to create suitable nesting habitat for migratory birds and, at the same time, to provide food and protection for wintering waterfowl. The proposed Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge will also be located in the San Luis Valley. Its proposed area is 9,500 acres. This refuge is expected to have considerable value as a duck and goose nesting area. It will also be an important wintering area for mallard ducks. The Leadville National Fish Hatchery is a major unit in the National Fish Hatchery System, producing approximately 100,000 pounds of trout annually. These trout are stocked in the waters of Colorado in cooperation with the Colorado Game and Fish Department. Trout produced are rainbow, brook, brown, and black- spotted cutthroat. This hatchery is located in the central part of the State. The Creede National Fish Hatchery is a small unit producing trout fingerlings for stocking alpine lakes and feeder streams in five National Forests in the southern part of the State. This hatchery also carries out spawn taking opera- tions for the rare black-spotted cutthroat trout. Plans are underway to maintain a trout brood stock at this station which will eventually produce from 7 to 10 million eggs annually for use at this and other National Fish Hatcheries. The proposed Curecanti National Fish Hatchery The banding of Canada geese on Colorado wildlife refuges is an important conservation tool in managing migratory waterfowl. is authorized under the Colorado River Storage project. As proposed, this hatchery would produce about 100,000 pounds of rainbow trout or other species of cold water fishes annually for stocking reservoirs and tailwaters of the Colo- rado River Storage project. This new hatchery would be located near Gunnison. The Denver Wildlife Research Center carries out most of the wildlife research work of the Fish and Wildlife Service west of the Mississippi River. This work incl!ldes studies of animal damage control methods, forest wildlife manage- ment, effects of pesticides on wildlife, and migratory bird ecology and diseases. The Fish-Pesticide Research Laboratory, located at Denver, conducts research needed to predict and prevent damage to fishes from exposure to pesticides. Hundreds of tests involving selected pesticides and various kinds of fishes have been conducted by this research laboratory. River Basin Studies are conducted by the Fish and Wildlife Service to determin.e the effects of water development projects on fish and wildlife and to recommend measures to protect and im- prove these resources. In Colorado, this work is carried out by a field office in Denver. These studies include the Curecanti Unit of the Colo- rado River Storage project. This unit calls for the construction of two and possibly three dams on the Gunnison River which is nationally . known for its outstanding trout fishery. The Curecanti National Fish Hatchery has been proposed as one way to mnigate the loss of trout spawning areas in the Gunnison as a res~lt of these impoundments. i. i I' .1 ~ I 55