Arkansas - Colorado State Parks Zebra Mussel Response_Application

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Water Supply Reserve Account - Grant Application Form Fonn Revised May 2007 A reeent press article (The Pinnacle Online, Friday, January 18,2008) stated: "Aeeording to eounty Supervisor Anthony Botelho, whose distriet includes San Justo. "We're all kind of having a panie about it right now," Botelho said. "This is a huge problem. It plugs up irrigation systems. .. and on top of that, if that water is released you do have some possible drainage issues, and then we eould even eontaminate the Pajaro. If you drain San Justo, there's a lot of farmland and agrieultural business dependent on that water," Botelho said. "It wouldn't just affeet the farm operators but the people they employ. And the money that agrieulture generates would be felt throughout the eommunity." Botelho noted that should it beeome neeessary to poison the mussels, the impaet eould be dramatie for the area's many organie farms. "We have to take aetion sooner rather than later to eontrol any infestation," Botelho said. b. Potential for EnvironmentallEcological Impacts Zebra mussel infestations have caused major ecological impacts in other parts of the country. These have included major fish declines in the Great Lakes because a collapse of the food chain as the filter feeding zebra mussels remove planktonic nutrients from the water column that used to be available to fish. Major declines in trout, whitefish and walleye were noted in the Great Lakes. Also major alterations to submerged aquatic vegetation and algal populations have resulted in increased algal blooms. Because of the algae die-offs and bacteria directly associated with the zebra mussels some locations have reported significant impacts to the taste and smell of drinking water coming from zebra mussels infested waters. Some water treatment plants have reported major costs associated with mitigating these taste and smell issues. By minimizing the risk of spreading zebra mussels this project will help protect the water quality and environmental quality of many bodies of water. c. Recreational Needs This project would allow for continued recreational opportunities at Lake Pueblo but would alter those recreational opportunities to minimize their possibility of spreading zebra mussels. The recreational opportunities are very important to State Parks as Pueblo has one of the highest visited parks that makes the most revenue primarily from water based recreation. That recreation provides a benefit calculated at $119 million dollars per year to Pueblo area. 2. It will help protect threatened and endangered fish in Colorado Zebra mussels have the potential to directly impact endangered fish by altering the availability of nutrients and changing the habitat in terms of submerged aquatic vegetation and algal blooms and dieoffs. Impacts to endangered fish strutures such as nets and fish ladders are also possible. The Division of Wildlife will be fully characterizing these potential impacts in a response plan that will be developed over the next few months. 3. It will provide a high level benefit to Colorado in relation to the amount of funds requested When dealing with issues like zebra mussels which can spread and grow rapidly, then dealing with the issue as quickly as possible is always the most cost effective option. The State of Califomia and entities within California such as the Southem California Water District have put millions of dollars into this issue within the first year of its appearance in their state, based on this assumption. 4. It will help support the State's economic vitality and competitiveness Water costs have risen in states with zebra mussel infestations, and water availability has been less reliable for water users. Minimizing the spread of zebra mussels will help ensure that Colorado stays competitive and vital in comparison to other Westem states. 8