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<br />3. Over the next seven years, Navajo Dam will be operated under study <br />guidelines to mimic a natural hydrograph, including test flows that consist of <br />high spring flows followed by low summer, fall and winter flows. <br /> <br />4. At the end of the seven-year research period, Navajo Dam would be <br />operated to mimic a natural hydrograph based on research flow recommenda- <br />tions. <br /> <br />5. Reclamation affirms that releases of water from Navajo Dam specifi- <br />cally for the purpose of restoring or enhancing the endangered fish must be <br />legally protected before any depletions occur from the Animas-La Plata <br />Project. <br /> <br />Additionally, a Recovery Implementation Program for the San Juan River <br />Basin has been signed by the Secretary and some of the participants. Not all <br />parties that were signatory to the MOU have signed the cooperative <br />agreement that implemented the San Juan River Recovery Implementation <br />Program. The State of Utah has declined to become an official member of <br />the Recovery Program, citing unresolved issues including water depletion. <br />The Navajo Nation has been solicited to participate in the Program but-so far <br />has declined due to concerns over protection of flows. In addition, the NPS <br />petitioned to become a member of the Program in 1993 but was not accepted <br />at that time. <br /> <br />The Bureau of Reclamation is preparing a Supplement to the Final Environ- <br />mental Statement (Supplement) for the Animas-La Plata Project to address <br />issues arising since the original 1980 document Was completed. Work on the <br />Supplement has been conducted with four main areas of emphasis: (1) <br />Compliance with provisions of the Clean Water Act, (2) changed require- <br />ments on certification of project lands for potential toxic or hazardous <br />irrigation return flows, (3) new or updated information that has become <br />available since the 1980 Final Environmental Statement and (4) evaluation of <br />design and other refinements to the project <br /> <br />Significant comments, both positive and negative, were received from <br />Federal and State agencies, as well as the general public. Statements in <br />support of the project, emphasizing compliance with the Colorado Ute Indian <br />Water Rights Settlement Act, economic benefits of the project, and fulfillment <br />of long-awaited Federal commitments, were received from State agencies and <br />project sponsors. Statements in opposition to the project include: Inadequate <br />NEPA analysis, inadequate 404(b)( 1) analysis, inadequate wetlands identifica- <br />tion and mitigation and no updated analysis of project needs and alternatives <br />to meet those needs. Based on the comments received on the draft, <br />Reclamation is preparing a Final Supplement whicl'1 is scheduled to be filed <br />with the EPA in April 1996. An updated economic and financial analysis was <br />completed and provided to Congress in July 1995. <br /> <br />50 <br /> <br />j <br />