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Ira W. Hatch, District Ranger 2 <br />CONFERENCE OPINION <br />Critical habitat has been proposed for the Colorado squawfish, humpback chub, <br />bonytail chub, and razorback sucker within the 100 -year floodplain in portions <br />of their historic range (58 F.R. 6578). Destruction or adverse modification <br />of critical habitat is defined in 50 CFR 402.02 as a direct or indirect <br />alteration that appreciably diminishes the value of critical habitat for both <br />the survival and recovery of a listed species. The Service has determined <br />that the project is likely to cause destruction or adverse modification of <br />proposed critical habitat for the four listed endemic fishes. The Service has <br />developed reasonable and prudent alternatives that would avoid destruction or <br />adverse modification to proposed critical habitat. <br />PROJECT DESCRIPTION <br />PacifiCorp has proposed to drill seven coal exploration holes on the southern <br />end of Trail Mountain on Federal Coal Lease U- 64375. The project area is on <br />the Ferron Ranger District of the Manti -LaSal National Forest. The Forest <br />Service has authority to consent or not consent to the proposed drilling and <br />to impose such stipulations as necessary with respect to the use and <br />protection of nonmineral resources. <br />The purpose of the project is to evaluate coal quality and quantity ahead of <br />ongoing mining operations. A maximum of 17 acres will be disturbed for drill <br />pads and access roads. Drilling will be done with air or foam mist, using no <br />toxic materials. Pads and roads will be reclaimed when no longer needed. <br />Previous experience in the area has shown that total reclamation can be <br />achieved in 3 to 5 years. <br />The drilling project will require the use of 240,000 gallons (0.74 acre -feet) <br />of water from the Upper Colorado River Basin (Upper Basin). This water will <br />be acquired by a temporary change in diversion point of an existing water <br />right which is currently used in operation of the Hunter Power Plant. <br />Diversion of water for the power plant was approved by the State Engineer in <br />1981, predating the implementation of the Recovery Program for Colorado River <br />fish. <br />BASIS FOR BIOLOGICAL OPINION <br />This biological opinion addresses an average annual depletion of approximately <br />0.74 acre -feet from the Upper Basin. Water depletions in the Upper Basin <br />have been recognized as a major source of impact to endangered fish species. <br />Continued water withdrawal has restricted the ability of the Colorado River <br />system to produce flow conditions required by various life stages of the <br />fishes. Impoundments and diversions have reduced peak discharges by <br />50 percent since 1942, while increasing base flows by 21 percent in some <br />reaches. These depletions, along with a number of other factors, have <br />resulted in such drastic reductions in the populations of the Colorado <br />squawfish, humpback chub, bonytail chub, and razorback sucker that the Service <br />has listed these species as endangered and has implemented programs to prevent <br />them from becoming extinct. <br />