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<br />\ I ,.. I <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />002183 <br /> <br />E. \VATER QUALITY <br /> <br />AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT <br /> <br />Little water chemistry data is available from the Dolores River below McPhee Dam. However, water chemistry is <br />monitored in the Dolores River immediately before it enters McPhee Reservoir. Data indicates all chemical <br />constituents are' well below standard levels for aquatic life established by the United States Environmental Protection <br />Agency and the State of Colomdo. Dissolved oxygen content was monitored at several sites in the Dolores River <br />below McPhee Dam during the spring and summer of 1990 during the period of low releases. The oxygen COOleDt <br />was found to be suitable for aquatic life in every measurement. The sediment coment of the water released from <br />McPhee Dam is normally very low. Tributaries downstream from the dam contribute sediment during spring runoff <br />and after rainfall events. <br /> <br />A major component of water quality related to aquatic life is water tempemmre, Trout grow and thrive best in water <br />that is 50-65 degrees Fahrenheit. Water temperatUre has been monitored in 4 location on the river since about 19~6. <br />During hot summer days at flows of about 50 cfs or less, the water reaches tempemtures of over 70 degrees <br />Fahrenheit upstream of Bradfield Bridge. At flows of aboUl 70 cfs or greater, water temperature will remain below <br />70 degrees at Bradfield Bridge during hot suuuner days. TIle water temperamre at Bmdfield Bridge has a daily <br />fluctuation of about 20 to 30 degrc.=s Fahrenheit during the summer. Maximum summer water tempemmre in the <br />river at the Dove Creek Pumping Plant is simiiar and often iower than the lemperariJre at Bradfield Bridge. <br /> <br />ENVIROl'.'1\IEl'."'T AL CONSEQIJESCES <br /> <br />Proposed Action. implementation of tne proposeO a:::tion would no: ane.c: the water :::hemistry 0:- sediment content of <br />tneriver. . Water of suitable oxygen content for aqWltic life would be provici~. Toe proposed action would <br />aliow the management flexibility to maintain water of suitable teClpemmre to support a trout fishery to a: least tile <br />Bradfield Bridge vicinity. <br /> <br />No Action - Implementation of the no action alternative would not affect the Wale:- chemistry or sediment content of <br />the river. Water of suitable oxygen coment for aquatic life wouid be provided. Toe no action aiternauve wouie <br />maintain water of suitable temperature to support a trout fishery to at least the Eradfield Bridge vicinity in designated <br />"wet" years. During designated '"norma!"' years, water of suitabie temperamre wouid be maintained i.'1 a iarge ponior. <br />of the river from the Dam to Bradfield Bridge but during ciesigns.ted "cry~ years. water or suitable tempemture would <br />only be maintaineci in a portion of the rive:- near the dam. <br /> <br />F. WATER SUPPLY <br /> <br />AFFECTED ENVIRONf\lENT <br /> <br />Project Water. TIle Dolores Project supplies an lUlIllUil average of 90.900 AF of water for the irrigation of about <br />61.600 acres of land. An 8nDualllverage of 13,700 AF is supplied to about 26.300 acres of supplemental service land <br />within the MVIC system, 54,300 AF is supplied 10 about 27,800 acres of full service land in the Dove Creek area and <br />. 22.900 AF is supplied to about 7.500 acres of full service land on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation. An annual <br />supply of 8,700 AF is reserved for municipal and industrial use within Ihe DWCD. An annual average of 27.000 AF <br />of water is reserved for fish and wildlife use and is allocated as foHows: 25,400 AF for release to the Dolores River. <br />800 AF for fish and wildlife purposes in Tonen Reservoir. and 800 AF for fish and wiidlife purposes within the Ute <br />Mountain Ute Reservation. Prolonged severe drought periods wiIi result in project wate:- shor,",ges. Tne A6-year <br />pro~iect opt=ra:ion smay indicates droughts tha: v;oujci produce sjgni~i.:an! sn0r...G~t:5 v..'ouid 0C~U:'" in aoou~ ..: ~ ()~ tne <br />vears. Additional hydrological recorcs indica!::: that slgniiican: shonages wouLd o:::c'.::- i:: ;~ss :hP.r. :. ~ 0; the year> <br /> <br />i~ <br />