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To Mr. Jack Garner <br />July 22, 1994 <br />Page 2 <br />water sales to enhance habitat conditions in the Colorado <br />River, based on the previous biological opinion, and will cite <br />the additional 10,000 that is being provided on a temporary <br />basis as result of the contract involving the Bureau of <br />Reclamation and Colorado Water Conservation Board. The <br />objective of this is to insure that additional permanent <br />allocations of Ruedi water supplies are not required as a <br />result of this consultation. <br />2. Your office will suggest to the Service that a <br />programmatic Section 7 needs to be conducted for the federal <br />projects upstream of - and possibly including - the Grand <br />Valley Project operated by the Bureau of Reclamation. The <br />programmatic Section 7 will be for the purpose of defining <br />federal responsibilities with respect to endangered species <br />for the operation of the Silt, Colbran, Colorado -Big Thompson, <br />Frying Pan - Arkansas projects. Because this programmatic <br />consultation is pending, no further permanent allocations of <br />water from Ruedi Reservoir should be made. <br />3. The programmatic consultation should be delayed until <br />completion of the coordinated reservoir operations study by <br />the Recovery Program. <br />We support these positions; however, there is one important <br />point regarding allocation of Ruedi water supplies that needs <br />to be discussed. In our previous discussions with U.S. Fish <br />and Wildlife Service through the Recovery Program, the Service <br />has suggested that Ruedi water be allocated to endangered <br />species use "until replaced by other sources ". We find this <br />approach unacceptable. It would require future purchasers of <br />