4210 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

DRAFT-05/10/85 In addition, .there are a variety of other factors which may have influenced the decline of population of endangered fish species in the Upper Basin. Combinations of naturally occurring and culturally influenced events-may have affected endangered fish populations. An example of such an event is the combination of exceptionally high spring runoff in 1983 and the operation of Flaming Gorge Reservoir, which contributed to a longer than normal period of cold water flows in the Green River. This combination may have eliminated significant numbers of newly hatched endangered - fish for that year. Flow regimes in the Upper Colorado Basin have been altered by large and small water resource and hydroelectric projects developed by the Federal government, public agencies, and private parties. However, after more than a year's review of factors effecting the decline of endangered fishes by .the Biology Subcommittee, there is no evidence that water }; ~. depletion has adversely affected endangered species. ~~ '~` P _ Concern has been expressed over the impact of continued p pper Basin. The most o ~`' ,, de letion of water in the U ptimistic ~' ~~ ~~~ ~~.. development projections indicate that no significant changes~x$ __.. in flow regime or habitat-will occur during the„next two decades, and ,possibly for some time after that. Because of this, there is adequate time to develop and test measures to assure the conservation of the endangered fish species and, in fact, to significantly enhance endangered species populations during the next two to three decades. 4 Furthermore, the Interstate, Compact, which governs ~ _____ . ''` allocation of water among the seven Colorado River Basin states, guarantees an average delivery of seven and one-half million acre-feet of water per year to the Lower Basin states. This vast quantity of water will flow through the habiatat of endangered fish species. ~''~ ~`~ f a~; ~; ,_ - ~; y,. t...e ~~ ._ _ ,_ 6 ~h.