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9 <br />recommendations for the Duchesne River also will require support of the Ute <br />Tribe. <br />Description of the Proposed Action <br />This biological opinion documents impacts associated with past and present <br />projects which are federally funded, permitted, operated or otherwise <br />constructed and which retain a Federal nexus. The action area (i.e. the area <br />including all direr_t and indirect effects) includes riverine habitat within <br />the Duchesne River Basin and that portion of the Green River downstream of its <br />confluence with the Duchesne. <br />The following section describes Federal projects and their features. <br />Uintah Indian Irrigation Project <br />The Uintah Indian Irrigation Project consists of a series of diversions and <br />canals to distribute irrigation water to approximately 75,000 acres of Ute <br />tribal land in the Uintah Basin. The canals also convey water to non-tribal <br />lands through carriage agreements. The project has been in operation since <br />the early 1920's and is managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Features <br />include the following diversions and canals: on the Lake Fork River--U.S. <br />Lake Fork and Redcap; on the Uintah River--Uintah, Coltharp, Uintah No. 1, <br />Harms, Ditch A, Ditch B, Ditch C, Ditch D, Bench, Daniels Ditch. Tabby White, <br />Military, and Henry Jim; on the Whiterocks River--Farm Creek, U.S. Whiterocks, <br />Spring Ditch, and U.S. Deep Creek; and on the Duchesne River--Jasper Pike. <br />Duchesne Feeder, Gray Mountain Ditch, Myton Townsite, and Ouray School. The <br />Ute Tribe has a Federal Reserved water right with a 1861 priority to deplete a <br />total of 143,752 acre feet of water per year. <br />The Bureau of Indian Affairs retains ongoing Federal authority over annual <br />project operations. Therefore, project depletions are subject to section 7 <br />consultation. <br />The Moon Lake Project stores water in Moon Lake and Midview Reservoirs to <br />supplement the water supply for land along the Lake Fork and Uinta Rivers. <br />The project has been in operation since 1938. Operation and maintenance of <br />Moon Lake Reservoir and the Yellowstone Feeder Canal and conveyance canals are <br />the responsibility of the Moon Lake Water users Association. Operation of the <br />Duchesne Diversion Dam and Feeder Canal and the Midview Reservoir and Lateral <br />are the responsibility of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Project features <br />include: <br />