7281 ‎(2)‎

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7281
• Author: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Title: Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin, Environmental Assessment, November 1987.
• USFW Year: 1987.
• USFW - Doc Type: Denver, Colorado.
• Copyright Material: NO

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CHAPTER IV ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES
Table IV-A-1
Potential Sources of Water by River Reach
River Source
Green 1. Refinement of operations at Flaming Gorge
(Section 7 consultation)
2. Acquisition of water rights on Yampa River
and conversion to instream flow rights
Colorado 1. Refinement of operations at Blue Mesa, Ruedi,
and Green Mountain (Section 7 consultation)
2. Withholding of water from water sales at Ruedi
(Section 7 consultation)
3. Acquisition of water rights and conversion to
instream flow rights
4. Acquisition of existing storage water
5. Water savings from salinity control projects
White/Yampa 1. Acquisition of water rights and conversion to
instream flow rights
2. Acquisition of existing storage water
Section 7 consultation is expected to result in refinement of
Federal dam operations. However, final decisions are yet to be
made on releases from Flaming Gorge and Blue Mesa dams to
conserve endangered fish. Therefore, flow release assumptions
were developed for each project (see Table IV-A-2). Following
is a discussion on the bases for the flow release assumptions
and the caveats in using them and interpreting resultant impact
analyses.
Ruedi/Green Mountain: The assumed flow releases are those
specified in the June 15, 1987, biological opinion (see
Table IV-A-2). Specific year-to-year adjustments to this
release pattern will likely be requested as better information
becomes available on the endangered fishes' habitat needs. Due
consideration will be given to the Fryingpan River trout fishery
and Ruedi Reservoir recreation impacts in the development of a
release pattern for the endangered fish flows. And, although
the biological opinion examined a scenario in which 10,000 acre-
feet of releases is made over a 60-day period from Ruedi
Reservoir, Reclamation will also consider making releases from
Green Mountain Reservoir to minimize impacts to the trout
fishery or reservoir recreation.
The Ruedi-related impact findings are preliminary findings
developed by Reclamation and assume 10,000 acre-feet of water is
released from Ruedi Reservoir. These findings are the best
available at this time, but will overstate impacts from Ruedi
releases if future releases are made from Green Mountain
IV-A-2
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