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<br />.-'--'-'" ,", .-B,..'>>_~ .'~..-'..... ""'.>"'>'">~-_;:'->_<"~<'A' .',' __. <br /> <br />operating regimes. In most cases, the outfitters were able to identify some negative impacts of <br />the new operating regimes on their operations. These consisted primarily of an increased <br />frequency of high-flow periods in the spring when river boating and rafting would be too <br />dangerous and an increased frequency of low-flow periods in the late summer and fall when <br />boating and rafting would be impractical. Outfitters would not be able to shift trips to other <br />times of the season because of launch restrictions imposed by federal resource management <br />agencies. Because the most likely substitute sources of similar recreational experiences are <br />outside of the Colorado River basin, it was assumed that regional output in the recreation and <br />tourism sectors of the economy would decline relative to pre-critical habitat conditions. Based <br />upon the interview results the amount of the decline was estimated using Colorado River <br />recreational usage and expenditure data assembled by federal agencies, adjusted to reflect the <br />percentage of time that the river would have unusable recreation flows. <br /> <br />The second direct effect of new operating regimes was to limit the amount and timing of <br />hydropower production. Estimates of the direct economic effects of this resource reallocation <br />were developed by Stone and Webster Management, Inc., which has extensive experience <br />modeling hydropower impacts for the Bureau of Reclamation. The results of the Stone and <br />Webster study indicate that the new operating plans would result in the construction of an <br />additional 121 megawatts of electrical generating capacity in the basin, a somewhat higher <br />average market price for electricity, and somewhat lower consumption. <br /> <br />Estimates of direct impacts for critical habitat reaches on the lower Colorado River below <br />Lake Mead involved both the recreational and agricultural sectors of the regional economy. <br />Because Wyoming and Colorado will forego some future consumptive uses of Colorado River <br />water to protect endangered fish, the state of California likely will be the net beneficiary of <br />that foregone consumption. At present, none of the upper Colorado River basin states <br />(Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming) utilize their full allotment of water under terms <br />of the Colorado River Compact. This water is currently stored in Lake Powell until it is <br />released for hydropower production or to create storage space for flood control purposes. <br /> <br />11 <br />