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<br />January 7, 2004 13 <br />The repOli compiles and summarizes the results of research conducted on endangered fish in the <br />Gunnison and Upper Colorado Rivers under the Upper Colorado River Recovery Program. The <br />report presents flow recommendations for two different river reaches: one for the lower Gunnison <br />River between Delta and Grand Junction, Colorado, and the other for the Colorado River <br />downstream of the Gunnison River confluence. Reclamation intends to initiate a National <br />Environmental Policy Act compliance process to determine the impacts of the flow <br />recommendations, or a reasonable alternative to them, on Aspinall Unit operations and on other <br />resources associated with the Gunnison River. A notice of intent to develop an Environmental <br />Impact Statement will likely be issued in January of 2004. <br /> <br />On January 17,2001, the United States tiled an application to quantify the Federal reserved water <br />right decreed to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument. The water right is for flows <br />in the Gunnison River through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park downstream of the <br />Gunnison Tunnel. On April 2, 2003, the Department of the Interior and State of Colorado reached <br />agreement regarding water for the park. Under this agreement, the reserved water right filed for by <br />the National Park Service will be quantified for 300 cfs (8.5 cms). The Colorado Water Conservation <br />Board will file for additional flows, with a 2003 priority date, under the State of Colorado in stream <br />flow program, which are in excess of those required to fulfill the purposes of the Aspinall Unit, to <br />provide additional water resources for the park. <br /> <br />For water year 2004, the Aspinall Unit will be operated in accordance with the Colorado River <br />Storage Project Act to conserve storage while meeting downstream delivery requirements. Under <br />normal conditions, the minimum release objectives of the Aspinall Unit are to meet the delivery <br />requirements of the Uncompahgre Valley Project, maintain a minimum flow of300 cfs (8.5 cms) in <br />the Gunnison River through the Black Canyon, and maintain a minimum flow of300 cfs (8.5 cms) in <br />the 2-mile reach below the Redlands Diversion Dam during the months of July through October. In <br />dry years, the 300 cfs flow through the canyon and the 2-mile reach can be reduced pursuant to the <br />appropriate decree or MOA. Under the most probable inflow conditions, flows through the Black <br />Canyon of the Gunnison National Park will be above the minimum release objective during the <br />summer months. To protect both the Blue Ribbon Trout Fishery in the Black Canyon and <br />recreational interests, releases during 2004 will be planned to minimize large fluctuations in the <br />daily and monthly flows in the Gunnison River below the Gunnison Tunnel diversion. <br /> <br />Under the minimum probable and most probable inflow scenarios, Blue Mesa Reservoir is not <br />expected to fill in the summer of2004. With the most probable inflow, Blue Mesa Reservoir will fill <br />to within 11 feet (3.4 meters) of full pool in July 2004. Under the maximum probable inflow, <br />Aspinall Unit Reservoirs are expected to till. <br /> <br />Drought conditions continued to persist in the San Juan River basin during 2003 which resulted in <br />low runoff volumes into the basin. The April through July unregulated inflow into Navajo Reservoir <br />in water year 2003 was 0.304 maf (375 mcm), or 39 percent of average. Water year 2003 <br />unregulated inflow was 0.415 maf(512 mcm) or 37 percent of average. The San Juan River basin is <br />continuing to experience an extended dry cycle. April through July unregulated inflow to Navajo <br /> <br /> <br />Navajo Reservoir <br />