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and California, pose serious risk to the general population in terms of human health and safety. The recent increased frequency of blackouts can be attributed to factors such as the condition of generators and transmission lines, loading of equipment, insufficient generation capability, and -- weather. Hydropower facilities with peaking capabilities, i.e., Morrow Point and Blue Mesa Power plants, are essential to the power system because of their ability to respond immediately to system emergencies and reduce the potential for blackouts. Fish, Wildlife, and Recreation Significant recreation uses and fisheries have developed around the Aspinall Unit and its current operations. Public recreation use of Unit lands and water within Curecanti National Recreation Area is managed by the NPS. Blue Mesa Reservoir supports over 1,000,000 recreation visitor days per year. Fishing, boating, and camping are primary recreation uses. Water levels at Blue Mesa are important elements in maintaining a quality fishery and recreation area. When operation of Blue Mesa Dam began in 1966, minimum downstream flows of 100 cfs in the Gunnison River were called for, primarily to support a downstream fishery. With construction of Crystal Dam in 1976, this minimum was increased to 200 cfs. In 1985, and based on results of instream flow studies to protect the Gold Medal trout fishery that had developed, Reclamation, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, and the Colorado Water Conservation Board increased minimum flows to 300 cfs to protect the downstream trout fishery. Fishery flows have been enhanced in the Gunnison and Taylor Rivers upstream from the Unit through storage exchange agreements with the Unit. Downstream from the National Park, lands are administered by the Bureau of Land Management as the Gunnison Gorge Special Recreation Management Area. In addition to the Gold Medal fishery, the downstream 30-mile reach of river includes a designated Wilderness, a Wilderness Study Area, an eligible Wild and Scenic River, and special land use designations. Recommendations under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act were adopted to mitigate losses of big game and fishery habitat associated with inundation by the Unit reservoirs. Reclamation has completed acquisition and development of big game areas and has acquired about 13 miles of fishing access along the Gunnison River and on tributaries upstream and downstream of the Unit. Recent and ongoing acquisitions of streamside interests involve coordination with other federal, state, and local agencies along with conservation organizations such as the Trust for Public Land and Conservation Fund. The mitigation areas are managed by the Bureau of Land Management and/or the Colorado Division of Wildlife. In addition to the research for endangered fish, many other scientific studies have been completed by Reclamation and cooperating agencies to determine resource needs and how they would be affected by. a change in Unit operations. This work includes limnology and fish population studies of the reservoirs, tailwater trout studies, creel census surveys, fish entrainment evaluations, river geomorphology investigations, and riparian vegetation studies. A-8