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

CHAPTER IV
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES
Reservoir. These findings will undergo public review and
refinement and will be presented in final form in an '
environmental statement planned to be completed by Reclamation
next year.
Flaming Gorge: The Service and Reclamation are conducting '
research on instream flow needs of rare fish in the Green River
below Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Until research is completed, it
is impossible to predict the release schedule that will be '
requested in the Flaming Gorge biological opinion scheduled for
completion in 1989. The best assumption that can be made on
future releases is to use the interim flow regime requested in
1985 and 1986, which has appeared to benefit the fish. [Note:
Alternative flow regimes were tested in 1987 under existing
research agreements.) '
The environmental assessment uses the 1985-86 interim flow
regime to approximate the postconsultation flow regime for
Flaming Gorge Reservoir (see Table IV-A-2). Though this 1
assumption will not result in a conclusive impact analysis, it
does provide insight into possible future impacts and areas of
concern. The Service anticipates that Reclamation will

undertake appropriate National Environmental Policy Act review ,
of the postconsultation conservation releases if they are a
significant departure from normal release patterns. '
Blue Mesa: No flow regime, interim or otherwise, has been
agreed to between Reclamation and the Service for endangered
fish conservation purposes at the Aspinall Unit. Under the '
Proposed Action, Reclamation will commit to an interim flow
regime until consultation is completed. This interim regime is
based on historic hydrologic data and serves as a starting point
for management purposes. It will eventually be replaced by flow
recommendations based on biological data. The environmental
assessment uses this initial interim flow regime (see
Table IV-A-2) to analyze potential impacts during the interim '
period and to illustrate possible impacts and areas of concern
were it to be continued as the postconsultation flow regime.
The Service anticipates that Reclamation will undertake
appropriate National Environmental Policy Act review of
postconsultation endangered fish releases if they prove to be a
significant departure from normal release patterns. '
In addition to refining Federal dam operations, the Proposed
Action will obtain water through other means, e.g., purchase of
water rights. Expecting that Federal facilities will provide at '
least a portion of necessary instream flows in Green aW
Colorado River habitats, other water acquisition efforts are
anticipated to concentrate on biologically important rivers

without Federal facilities, e.g., Yampa and White Rivers. '

IV-A-4 '