7893

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7893
• Author: Satterfield, J. R., Jr.
• Title: Summary Of Responses, Colorado Division Of Wildlife Lake Management Plans.
• USFW Year: 1994.
• USFW - Doc Type: \
• Copyright Material: NO

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CONFIRMATION
United States Department of the Interior

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FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Mounlain-Prairie Region

IN REPLY REFER TO:

FFA HFR-2
MAIL STOP 60140

MAILING ADDRESS:

Post Office Box 25486
Denver Federal Center
Denver, Colorado 80225

STREET LOCATION:
134 Union Blvd. .
Lakewood, Colorado 80228

NOV 3 0 1994

Mr. Eddie Kochman
State Aquatic Manager
Colorado ~ivision of Wildlife
6060 Broadway
Denver, Colorado 80216

Dear Mr. Kochman:

This letter transmits the Fish and Wildlife Service's (Service) review
comments on the Colorado ~ivision of Wildlife's (Division) lake Management
Plans (LMP's) for the Northwest Region and the McPhee Reservoir lMP. These
comments and recommendations are the result of our review of the LMP proposals
and visits to all sites except Elkhead and McPhee Reservoirs. Our intent is
to detail our concerns and position on each stocking proposal and to provide
site-specific recommendations to eliminate or reduce escapement potential and
impacts to the endangered Colorado River fishes.

General Comments:

The Service recommends the outlet works be screened for some of the LMP
proposals. The screens should be capable of preventing escapement of larval
and larger fish. We believe the risk of fish eggs passing through the outlets
and surviving is minimal Screen mesh small enough to prevent larval fish
passage will likely req:ijre a self-cleaning mechanism; e.g., a paddle wheel-
driven rotary drum scre~n to prevent clogging from aquatic vegetation and
other debris.

As you know, the Colorado Water Conservation Board is currently preparing
floodplain maps for the Colorado River. These maps will locate the 50-year
floodplain elevation. Although there appears to be general agreement to use
the 50-year floodplain elevation instead of the 40-year floodplain elevation
criteria in the Interim Non-native Fish Stockinq Procedures, that change has
not been formally made. Therefore, this document references the 40-year
floodplain elevation.

Specific Comments:

Connected lakes-Small (lower) lake

. Service concerns with the stockfng proposal for this water body are due to its
elevation within the floodplain. Service personnel estimated the river was
within 6-8 inches of the top of the berm during a 10-year flood event in 1993.
The Connected Lake EndanQered Species Fish Pond Manaqement Plan, dated