9417

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9417
• Author: U.S. Department of the Interior.
• Title: Final Environmental Assessment
• USFW Year: 1998.
• USFW - Doc Type: Acquisition and Enhancement of Floodplain Habitats along the Upper Colorado, Green, and Gunnison Rivers as part of the Recovery Program for Endangered Colorado River Fishes.
• Copyright Material: NO

'. City of

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360 Main St. . Delta, Colorado 81416 . Phone [phone]. Fax [phone]

February 26,1998

Henry Maddux
Program Director
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 25486, DFC
Denver, CO 80225

Dear Mr. Maddux:

I am responding, CrI behatf of the City of Delta, to the Draft Environmental Assessment for
the Proposed Acquisition and Enhancement of Floodplain Habitats A1Cr1g the Upper
Colorado, Green, and Gunnison Rivers.

VVhile the City generally supports the concept of this program, we have concerns as
well.

Of primary concern is the affect this program may have on the designation of the
Gunnison and Uncompahgre Rivers. The current endangered species designation
of the Gunnison River to the Uncompahgre has caused the City difficulty in the past.
Having endangered species waters seems to have caused more expense and
greater difficulty to our citizens. These difficulties have been encountered, in such
things as operating our Waste Water plant, protecting our citizens investments from
damage from flood waters, protecting our parks and trails from erosion damage and
developing our park system as per our master plan.

As a community that lives between two rivers, our connection to and use of the river
amenities are of aitical importance to us. We recognize the importance of creating
fish habitat, but we must look at balancing that in conjunction with creating habitat for
the people to whom we are responsible.

We are QJrrently talking to landowners up and down the river to see if we could come
to a consensus of how we deal with the river from a variety of concerns. We would
like to generate a river plan which identifies the opportunities and needs of the river
and its various residents and neighbors. This would be a plan that highlights the
complex issues between stabilization, restoration, habitat improvement and creation.
The goal. seems to be to stabilize aitical areas while helping protect and conserve