PROJC00177 ‎(2)‎

• Contract/PO #: C150110
• Contractor Name: Four Seasons Trout Farm
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 40
• County: Delta
• Bill Number: HB 02-1152
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Approval Letter

Four Seasons Trout Fann
March 21,22, 2002

Agenda Item 11
(Updated March 22, 2002)

Feasibility Studies
McMillon Engineering of Ridgway has completed plans and specifications for the project. Those
plans were independently evaluated by Norm Erthal of the Colorado Division of Wildlife and found
to be adequate in terms of constructability and maintenance required to avoid the recurrence of
whiriing disease, A draft feasibility study has been completed by John Van Sciver in accordance
with CWCB guidelines and includes an assessment of alternatives available for rehabilitation of
the .Four Season Trout farm hatchery,
The Four Seasons Trout Farm
The Four Seasons Trout Farm is a commercial fish hatchery owned and operated by John
Niblack, and registered with the Colorado Secretary of State, The Company / John Niblack
owns the property that will be collateral for the loan, Neither of these entities is subject to
TABOR,

Water Riahts
The FSTF owns direct flow and storage water rights from springs and collection systems above
the hatchery, These rights are tributary to Surface Creek, which is tributary to the Gunnison
River. These rights are described in Table 1:

Table 1: Water rights owned by the Four Seasons Trout Farm

Prioritv # Uses Water Riaht
#L-15 (Structure #L-13 Storaae fish culture 3,91 Acre-feet
#L-16 (Structure #L-13 Direct flow Fish culture 2,00 cfs
#K-52 (Structure #K-45\ Direct flow, 1963 Fish cuiture 3,00 cfs
Totals 3.91 acre-feet / 5 cfs

These water rights are non-consumptive and used for the purpose of raising fish,

Project Description
Three alternatives were analyzed in the feasibility study:

1, No Action
2, Reconstruction of the hatchery raceways ($67,000)
3, Reconstruction of the hatchery raceways including predator control, and rehabilitation of
the source water collection system and hatchery building ($97,945)

Alternative 2, Reconstruction of the hatchery raceways ($67,000), Is critical to elimination of
whirling disease from the facility, New concrete raceways would be designed so that they can
be easily and frequently cleaned to eliminate M, cerebralis spores before they can infect the
trout. However, additional work is needed to guard against whirling disease, and for this reason
Alternative 2 was not selected, Alternative 3, Reconstruction of the hatchery raceways including
predator control, and rehabilitation of the source water collection system and hatchery building
($97,945 estimated) was the alternative with the least overall cost that provided the best
defense against recurrence of whirling disease, The source water system needs to be rebuilt so
that it is protected from surface contamination that might include whirling disease, Predator
control consists of screening to keep birds, raccoons and other animals from entering the
hatchery raceways and/or eating the fish, These wiid animals cost the hatchery money in terms
of lost fish production, and are a possible source of M, cerebralis spores, This alternative is
considered the preferred alternative, The no-action alternative was considered unacceptable
since it means the hatchery would be unable to operate,

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