Price-Stubbs Fish Passage: Final Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact

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CHAPTER 3- AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES General This chapter discusses resources that may be affected by actions taken to provide fish passage at the Price -Stubb Diversion Dam. During preparation of the Final EA, issues and concerns were received from affected water users; resource agencies, private interests, recreational interest groups and citizens, and other parties (see Chapter 4, Consultation and Coordination, for further details). For each resource, the potentially affected area and /or interests are identified. For significant issues, existing conditions are described, and impacts expected under the No Action alternative and each passage alternative is discussed. Impacts under the fish passage alternatives are usually similar for most resources. Where there are differences, the alternatives are discussed separately. The chapter concludes with a summary comparison of the alternatives and a list of mitigation measures. • The project is in Mesa County, Colorado along the Colorado River. Mesa County has a population of approximately 120,000. Grand Junction, the largest city in the area, was founded in 1881. The Rio Grande Railroad extended into the area in 1882 and, soon afterward, major irrigation of the valley began. The Price -Stubb Diversion Dam was completed in 1911. It was used to divert irrigation water to lands in the east end of the valley until 1918, when Reclamation's Grand Valley Project Diversion Dam and the Government Highline Canal were constructed. Although agriculture remains important in the valley today, some light manufacturing and service industries influence the economy. Tourism is also a significant source of economic activity for the area. The project area is within a major transportation corridor, with the Union Pacific's railroad tracks along the right bank of the river and the Interstate 70 highway on the left bank. The upstream extent of the area affected by the fish passage proposals, and other endangered fish recovery activities for the Upper Colorado River, is the Town of Rifle in Garfield County. Rifle has around 5,500 residents involved in agriculture, oil and gas development, and services. Streamflows and floodplain habitat of the river have been significantly altered by water diversions and uses, infringement by railroads, gravel operations, highways and bridges, and by the operations of upstream storage reservoirs, flood control dikes and channelization. I� U 25