Final Environmental Assesment and Finding of No Significant Impact Gunnision River Activities June 1995

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3 The fish passageway will consist of a concrete chute, 6 -feet wide and 350 -feet long, routed around the Redlands Diversion Dam. Baffles will divide the chute into a series of small pools. Water flow through the chute will be approximately 25 cfs and a pipe will direct another 75 cfs to the entrance of the fish passageway to attract fish. This water is part of the 300 cfs mentioned in the previous paragraph. A widened section of the passageway near the upper end will allow fish to be trapped and separated before they move upstream into the river. Non- native fish will be returned to the river downstream from the diversion dam. The passageway is designed to test and determine water velocities and entrance conditions that will help ensure successful passage by Colorado squawfish and razorback suckers. The passageway will be funded by the Recovery Program, constructed by Reclamation, and operated by the Fish and Wildlife Service. The facility will be constructed on private land owned by the Redlands Water and Power Company. A perpetual easement has been acquired for the facility along with a temporary easement for construction activities. Construction is scheduled to begin in the summer of 1995 and completed in April 1996. Redlands Water and Power Company will continue to operate the Redlands Diversion Dam and will not be responsible for any costs associated with the passageway. A construction, operation, and maintenance agreement for the fish passageway will be executed by Redlands, Reclamation, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the city of Grand Junction. To ensure adequate flows to operate the fish passageway and to maintain habitat in the Gunnison River downstream from the Redlands Diversion Dam, an interim (temporary, 5 year) water agreement will be executed among Reclamation; the State of Colorado, represented by the Water Conservation Board; and the Fish and Wildlife Service. Under the agreement, Reclamation will deliver sufficient water from the Aspinall Unit to maintain a minimum flow of 300 cfs in the Gunnison River below the Redlands Diversion Dam during the months of July through October. A portion of this water will also be used to operate the passageway. Three alternatives were considered for the interim agreement. The recommended alternative provides for protection of releases made to meet the needs of the endangered fish and water users. The agreement's primary article specifically states: Reclamation hereby agrees to release from the Aspinall Unit sufficient water to maintain a minimum flow of 300 cfs during the months of July, August, September and October in the Gunnison River from the Redlands Diversion Dam to the confluence of the Gunnison River with the Colorado River, said flows to include the water necessary to operate the proposed fish passage facilities located at the Redlands Diversion Dam. The operating plan and water release schedule will be dependent upon current hydrologic conditions and the available water supply. For the term of this agreement, the operating plan shall completely remove the need for administrative calls by downstream Gunnison River mainstem users senior in priority to the Aspinall Unit, unless such plan would cause Blue Mesa Reservoir to drop below the 400,000 acre -foot total storage level at the end of the current calendar year. In such event, the parties jointly agree to reduce the 300 cfs release amount otherwise protected pursuant to this MOA (agreement) in order to minimize the administrative calls which will occur from water rights downstream and