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It' t- 0022u5 e e A. INTRODUC~ION The Dolores Project (Project) was constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation primarily to store flows of the Dolores River for irrigation and municipal and industrial use. The Project also provides hydroelectric power generation, salinity control, recreation opportunities, fish and wildlife enhancement and mitigation measures, area economic development, and cultural resources rnitiga~ion. Construction of the Project began in 1977 and all project facilities are essentially complete. B. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR AC~ION The purpose of the proposed action is to increase the benefits from the Dolores Project. The downstream release portion of the reservoir operating criteria specified in the Definite Plan Report (DPR) and Final Environmental Statement (FES) has proven to be unsatisfactory for managing the water reserved for fish and wildlife resources in the Dolores River downstream from McPhee Reservoir. C. BACKGROUND Reclamation operatec McPhee Rese:voir according to the fillin; criteria from it's closure in 1984 until it filled in 1987. ~he :ese~~cir ~as operated acco:ding to the criteria in the DPR and FES and consiste~t with the repayment contract between the United States and Dolores ~ater Conservancy Districe (DWCD) from 1987 to June, 1990. The operatin; c~i~eria in the DPR and FES specified year-~ound minim~~ =eleases ~c ~he Dolores Rive= c: 20 c~=ic feet per secon~ (==5) d~=~n; c=y yea=s, :: c=s c~~~n; ~o=mal yea~s, anc is ==5 c~=ing we~ years. ~=y, no=rr.a:, anc we~ yea=s were definec in ~he DPR anc FES basec on rese=voi= c~~~e~~ a~~ runoff predictions at specified dates. ~he pr~ary purpose of the releases was ~o es~ablish and main~ain a ~=ou~ =~she~y i~ ~he Dclo=es River from McPhee Darn ~o Bradfield Bridge (approxi~mately :: ciles). Y.inimum downstream releases were set at 78 cfs fro~ 1984 through 1989, the flow associated with a wet year in the DPR and FES o?aratin~ criteria. This was partially a resul~ c= the hycirology c= ~he Delores River Basin during this period and partially a resul~ of the project's limited" development. During this period, a good t:out fishery was established in the river from McPhee barn to Bradfield Bridge. Precipitation in water year 1989 was very low and the dry trend continued in early 1990. In March 1990 a dry year deterrnina~ion was made in accordance with the operating criteria and the downstre~~ release was set at 20 cfs for the first time in the P:oject's operating history. After several meetings and negotiations between Reclamation, Project water users, Trout Unlimited (TO), and Colorado Divisior. Of Wildlife (CDOW), a short-te:m solution to the low flows was achieved. ~n agreement between Reclamation and DWC~ was reached fcr the re:ease of c;. adcitional 6,000 acre-fee~ (AF) c= P=ojec~ wa~e~ dow~5~=e~, ~~==~;~ O~~c~e~ ~990. Releases we~e i~~~easec ~c ~~ c=s O~ J~~E :5, :9;C, c~= 1