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extent they would interfere with the purposes of Reclamation projects in the Gunnison Basin. Gunnison County, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, and other water users in the Gunnison River Basin have also opposed these water right applications. Following a 1991 trial, the District Court issued an Order that held there was only 20,000 acre- feet of unappropriated water available for the project. In 1995, the Colorado Supreme Court partially reversed the 1991 Order on the basis that the District Court adopted improper guidelines in determining water availability, and sent the availability issue back to the District Court. A trial was held in 1997 and a district water court judge ruled that not more than 15,000 acre-feet of unappropriated water (average annual yield) was available to the project. Since Arapahoe County previously stated that at least 20,000 acre-feet of unappropriated water would be needed for a feasible project, their applications were denied and dismissed. We are now awaiting a ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court on the project proponent's appeal. In addition, the judge also agreed with Reclamation's position that a depletion allowance of 60,000 acre-feet upstream of the Aspinall Unit was limited to benefitting only in-basin junior users. Thus, the proposed transbasin project cannot benefit from Reclamation's depletion allowance. The NPS has also initiated a resource protection study on lands within the National Park and National Recreation Area. Access, maintenance, and replacement issues with both the Aspinall Unit and the Uncompahgre Project will need to be considered in this study. National Environmental Policy Act and Section 7 Consultation Many of the studies underway throughout the basin will support Reclamation's completion of draft and final environmental impact statements on operational changes for the Unit. As defined, the proposed action is to implement a reasonable and prudent alternative to avoid jeopardy to endangered fish from Aspinall Unit operations via long-term reservoir operation criteria. Flow recommendations are expected from the Fish and Wildlife Service in late 2000 and completion of an environmental impact statement is scheduled for 2002. Initial public scoping activities and periodic public meetings throughout the 1990's have continued to show a very strong public sentiment that the benefits of the Aspinall Unit (fish and wildlife, recreation, hydropower, water supply, flood control) should be continued under new operation criteria. Concluding Remarks The Aspinall Unit and its operation have become a significant factor in western Colorado from an economic, recreational, and fish and wildlife standpoint, as well as its hydropower and water storage purposes. In addition to the authorized project purposes, Unit operation is being reviewed in light of compliance with the Endangered Species Act and the quantification of the National Park's reserved water right. A-10