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<br />Gunnison Tunnel). This flow was maintained until early May 2004 at which time flows in the Black <br />Canyon were increased to 350 cfs (8.5 cms). Water year 2004 powerplant bypasses were <br />approximately 0.604 maf (745 mcm) at Crystal Dam. These bypass releases occurred because the <br />powerplant was shut down from mid-October 2003 through October 2.004 for generator rewind and <br />turbine repair. <br /> <br />On August 16, 1995, Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) No, 95-07-AO-R1760 was signed by the <br />Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Colorado Water Conservation. Board. <br />The purpose of the MOA was to provide water to the Redlands Fish Ladder and assure at ]east <br />300 cfs (8.5 cms) of flow in the 2-mile reach of the Gunnison River between the Redlands Fish <br />Ladder and the confluence of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers (2-mile reach). This MOA was <br />extended for an additional 5 years on June 30, 2000. A key provision of the MOA requires that the <br />parties adopt a plan to share water shortages in dry years, when total storage at Blue Mesa Reservoir <br />is projected to drop below '0.4 maf(493 mcm) by the end of the calendar year. In 2004 it was not <br />necessary to operate under a shared shortage arrangement, because there was sufficient runoff. <br /> <br />InJuly 2003, a final report titled, "Flow Recommendations to Benefit Endangered Fishes in the <br />Colorado and Gunnison Rivers" was published by the Upper Colorado Recovery Program. The <br />report compiles and summarizes the results of research conducted on endangered fish in the <br />Gunnison and Upper Colorado Rivers under the Upper Colorado Recovery Program. The report <br />presents flow recommendations for two different river reaches: one for the lower Gunnison River <br />between Delta and Grand Junction, Colorado, as measured at Grand Junction; and the other for the <br />Colorado River downstream of the Gunnison River confluence as measured at the Colorado-Utah <br />State line. In January 2004, Reclamation published a Notice of Intent to prepille an EIS on <br />operations to assist with meeting the flow recommendations or a reasonable altemativ(~ to them. <br />Public scoping meetings were held in February 2004. A draft EIS is likely to be released in 2006. <br /> <br />On January 17, 2001, the United States filed an application to quantify the Federal reserved water <br />right decreed to the Black Canyon ofthe Gunnison Nationa.l Monument. The water right is for flows <br />inthe Gunnison River through the BlackCanyon of the Gunnison National Park downstream ofthe <br />Gunnison Tunnel. On April 2, 2003, the Department of the. Interior and the State of Colorado <br />reached agreement regarding water for the park. Under this agreement, the reserved water right filed <br />for by the National Park Service will be quantified for 300 cfs (8.5 cms) with a 1933 priority date; <br />The Colorado Water Conservation Board will file under the State of Colorado instream flow <br />program, for additional flows in excess of those required to fulfill the purposes of the Aspinall Unit <br />(with a 2003 priority date) to provide additional water resources for the park However, this <br />agreement is currently being challenged in United States District Court in Colorado. The Colorado <br />Water Court for Water Division 4 has stayed proceedings on the amended Federal claim for the <br />300 cfs flow pending the outcome of the case before the District Court. The State of Colorado and <br />others have challenged the Colorado Water Court stay in the Colorado.:SupremeCourt. No action <br />has been pursued on the Colorado Water ConservatioIl Board's filing for the peak flows (flows in <br />excess of those required to fulfill the purposes ofthe Aspinall Unit) in the Colorado Water.C6urt for <br />Water Division 4, and no action is anticipated until the amended Federal claim is settled. In short, <br /> <br />11 <br />