Testimony by Melinda Kassen - Laserfiche WebLink

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MILK Testimony http: / /resourcescommittee. house. gov /107cong /water /2002mar19/kassen.htm THE ARKANSAS RIVER LEGACY PROJECT In many places, the Arkansas River is a highly managed system, as much a tangle of plumbing as a river. Little remains of its natural ecosystem through much of its more than 325 miles in Colorado. Substantial quantities of the water flowing through the basin come from west of the continental divide, as a result of several transmountain diversion projects, including the Fry-Ark that is the focus of H.R. 3881. Pueblo Reservoir, which is part of the Fry-Ark Project, closed its gates in 1975. Prior to then, the reach of river from the dam site down to the Arkansas River's confluence with Fountain Creek was a warm water environment. With the reservoir in place, this reach of the river became a coldwater environment. However, the river was also highly channelized below Pueblo Reservoir, as a result of older flood control measures and served initially as a conduit for high volume summer flows destined to satisfy the water rights of Lower Arkansas River basin farms, and deliveries under interstate compact to the State of Kansas. The native coldwater fish species from the Arkansas (greenback cutthroat trout) was listed as an endangered species in 1973 (downgraded to threatened in 1978). These fish are in trouble due both to the introduction of non - native species and to the basin's severe water management regime that has destroyed the natural flow patterns in many places. Given this listing, persons interested in healthy coldwater fisheries saw the tailwater reach below Pueblo Reservoir as a place to recover coldwater fishery habitat. However, Reservoir only releases a meager 100 -200 (cfs) to the stream for the five -month winter period, when there is little irrigation demand downstream and water users instead store water in the reservoir for summer use. These winter flows are insufficient to allow trout to survive through the winter and establish a breeding population. Thus, the Colorado Division of Wildlife has managed the reach of the Arkansas River from Pueblo Reservoir downstream to the City of Pueblo in the last several decades as a "put- and - take" trout fishery, stocked with catchable -size trout. None - the -less, the fishing in this reach of the river is a significant recreational amenity even now, particularly for Pueblo's large, low- income population. Recognizing the recreational and habitat potential for this reach of river, in 1998, the US Army Corps of Engineers began a major effort to restore a 9.5 mile reach of the Arkansas, from below Pueblo Reservoir downstream to the confluence with Fountain Creek. Teaming with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the City of Pueblo, two local school districts, the University of Southern Colorado, and several local environmental and recreational groups, the Corps embarked on the Arkansas River Corridor Legacy Project (Legacy Project). Funds for the project come from the Corps, Great Outdoors Colorado (the recipient of Colorado lottery proceeds), the City of Pueblo and other team members. The Corps is expecting the total project to cost $6.6 million, with a 35% share being paid by non - federal partners. (The Corps' share is capped at $5 million.) Completion is expected in 2004. There are several additional components of the Legacy Project in which the Corps is not directly involved (including enhancements of Pueblo's nature center — located adjacent to the river — nature trails and zoo exhibits) which bring total project costs to $8.75 million The local TU chapter is one of the partners in the Legacy Project. Within the past four years, the chapter secured a $2,500 grant through TU's Embrace -a- Stream program to buy and place boulders in the river several miles downstream of Pueblo Reservoir for habitat restoration purposes. In addition, the chapter has contributed over 400 hours of volunteer time planting trees and reclaiming the riparian corridor of this reach. One aspect of the Legacy Project, scheduled to enter construction as early as November 2002, will be to construct a winter low flow channel within the current river corridor. This will allow the concentration of wintertime low flows to maintain sufficient habitat so that fish could over - winter successfully. With the additional restoration efforts, the Legacy Project partners hope to nurture a wild fishery for this reach upon completion. But the Legacy Project will not just yield recreational amenities; it will also give the Pueblo area a fully functioning ecosystem, with all the positive values that entails. 3 of 8 3/20/02 10:18 AM