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DAMS AND DIVERSIONS <br />ally and cumulatively, are likely to harm park waters. <br />This Act requires major utilities to purchase and dis- <br />tribute power that is generated by small hydropower <br />facilities. At Olympic National Park, for example, this <br />incentive is largely responsible for encouraging more <br />than 50 proposals for small hydropower projects on <br />rivers and streams that flow out of the park. <br />Individually and. cumulatively, these projects present <br />serious threats to park wildlife, especially anadro- <br />mous fish migrations and elk access to winter range. <br />Finally, no program or policy requires that <br />alternative measures, such as water or energy conser- <br />vation, be evaluated and adopted before dams and <br />diversions that may harm park values are considered <br />(except for the regionally-applied Northwest Power <br />Act). Near Zion National Park, for example, meaning- <br />ful water conservation measures in Washington <br />County, Utah, could stretch existing water supplies in <br />this desert region, potentially obviating the demand <br />for dams upstream of the park. But no existing fed- <br />~ eral or state program requires Washington County to <br />adopt reasonable conservation measures, despite the <br />fact that the dam proposals are stimulated by unre- <br />strained water demands from booming population <br />growth and water-consumptive landscaping. <br />4. Assure that flow regimes of existing federally-funded or federally-authorized dams or hydropower <br />operations upstream of parks be managed to avoid or minimize impairment of park water-related <br />resources consistent with_t7thex statutory obligations by requiring that all pnident and feasible steps, <br />inchzding im~lementatiort of water and power:cortservation measures and flood zone use restrictions, be <br />taken to avoid adverse effects on park resources.. <br />5, Reauthorize and strengthen the Endangered Species Act tc> ensure that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife <br />Service designates -and fufiy protects critical habitat for any species listed as threatened or endangered at <br />the time the species is listed. Congress should specifically require that habitat adequate to assure recovery <br />of such species kie designated as critical at, the time the species is listed, and that additional habitat be <br />designated as it is identified, except to the extent that specific areas are subsequentlydetermined on sci- <br />entifical>y so~and~grounds to-be unneeded frir species recovery, ~~ <br />6, Adequately fund the=Park Seruice tt complete~~suitabilitystudies arid, make recommendations for all <br />rivers in units of the National Park System the are potentially eligible for protection under the;~Vitd and <br />Scenic Rivers Act. <br />The Part Service Should: <br />7. Monitor all, applications for new or modified water rights involving dams or diversions and participate <br />fully in proceedings to~oppose wateruses that are likely to impair park.water resources: <br />8. Complete "suitability"studies for all park rivers potentially eligible for designation under the Wild <br />and Scenic ~tivers Act and recommend congressional designation of qualifying,riveis. <br />29 <br />