8192

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 8192
• Author: Wydoski, D.
• Title: Review of Report Regarding Evaluation of Gravel-Pit Ponds.
• USFW Year: 1997.
• USFW - Doc Type: \
• Copyright Material: NO

iLJq7 Wy dfJJK\

SUBJECT:

''1 l J-..

m~@U\Yl~~

Bob Burdick, Frank Pfeifer I~.J NJ3 II99l ~

D~ck Wydosk~ "--r): 11 I COLORADO RIVER FISHERY PROJECT
. . ~?...... ~ GRANO JUNCTlON. CO 81S05
Review of Report Regarding Evaluation of Gravel-Pit Ponds

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

July 30, 1997

I appreciated the opportunity to review the manuscript on nNative
and Nonnative Fish Use of Two Gravel-Pit Ponds Connected to the
Upper Colorado River at 29 5/8 Road near Grand Junction, Coloradon.
The information in the report will be very useful to me in writing
the Environmental Assessment on acquisi tion and restoration of
floodplain habitats.

Overall the report was well done -- it was clearly written and
fairly concise. The tables and figures S1J~rize the data very
well. Hast of my comments are in red pen on the actual manuscript.

Several points that should be brought out in the paper include:

1. Much of the floodplain habitat in the Upper Colorado River
from the Colorado-Utah state line upstream to Rifle on the
Colorado River and upstream to Austin on the Gunnison River
has been modified by hnmans either from levee construction or: .
mining gravel. The numerous gravel-pit ponds :I1ave altered the
natural floodplain by creating depressionstb~.t are deep. with
irregular-shaped bottoms. Presently, some floodplains contain
only.gravel-pit ponds. Therefore, habitat acquisition and
restoration activities by the Recovery Program will have to
focus on such floodplains.

2. In general, your recommendations are valid. However, some
revisions might be warranted. Your first recommendation is to
avoid connectinq isolated ponds to the river that are
depressions. Many of the gravel-pit ponds fall into this
category so this recommendation would limit' habitat
restoration efforts in the Upper Colorado River.

(1) Reconnect former floodplain habitats without deep
depression ponds with the river to allow the river to
function as a natural ecosystem. Such former floodplain
habi tats have been separated from the river through levee
construction so it would be cost-effective and practical
to acquire rights to use of the land through easements or
fee-title so the floodplain could be reconnected with the
river by eXcavating a notch.

NOTE: I envision this strategy as applying only to areas
where levees were constructed to prevent flooding of
agricultural lands. A key point with this strategy is

1