Draft Environmental Assesment and Finding of No Significant Impact Gunnision River Activities February 1995

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CHAPTER 4 - CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION Fish passage at the Redlands Diversion Dam has been studied for many years. Wiltzius (1978) believed that the Redlands Diversion Dam reduced Colorado squawfish numbers in the Gunnison River by preventing upstream movement from the Colorado River. In 1986, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published a study, "Redlands Dam Fishway Feasibility Study" that examined alternatives for providing fish passage. FERC granted exemption from licensing for the Redlands Water and Power Company in 1983, and as part of this exemption, required compliance with any terms and conditions that Federal or State fish and wildlife agencies determined appropriate to prevent loss of, or damage to, fish and wildlife resources. These conditions included allowing construction and operation of a fish passageway. The 1993 "Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin" published by the Fish and Wildlife Service stated that recovery efforts on the Gunnison River would focus on providing fish passage at the Redlands Diversion Dam, providing better flow /habitat conditions by water releases from the Aspinall Unit, and restoring bottomland habitats along the river. Since 1992, a variety of public meetings have been held on Gunnison River activities. Discussions at these meetings centered on operations of the Aspinall Unit to meet various needs and on endangered fish programs. A common concern heard from the public at these meetings was that the benefits (environmental, recreational, agricultural, economic, fish and wildlife) that are occurring from present Gunnison River operations should not be lost or reduced by new programs. Also in 1992 Reclamation began to conduct Aspinall Unit operation meetings involving a variety of agencies and organizations, and input on the effects of operations have been obtained from this coordination. Negotiations on the interim water contract began in 1994 and have been open to the public. In June 1994, three public meetings were held in Delta, Gunnison, and Grand Junction to discuss the fish passageway and the interim water agreement. Nearly 300 citizens attended these meetings. A summary (Reclamation, 1994) of the meetings was sent to attendees in July 1994; it can be obtained from Reclamation in Grand Junction. A few of the issues raised at these meetings follow. COMPACT ENTITLEMENT- -How does providing water under the interim agreement for endangered fish affect Colorado's ability to use water under the Colorado River Compact? The temporary water agreement will use water already set aside for endangered fish. The State of Colorado intends to fully develop its share of water under the compact, and the purpose of the Recovery Program -- recovering endangered fish while allowing continued water development -- supports this goal. The Colorado Water Conservation Board is currently conducting studies to determine how to implement the Recovery Program without any effect F