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environment to a reasonable degree, and are adjudicated and <br />administered within the State's water right priority system. <br />Delivery of water to a downstream demand: Water released from <br />storage or otherwise made available from upstream sources can be <br />delivered to downstream demands. Such deliveries can be <br />"shepherded" (i.e., protected) through the subject stream segments. <br />A primary example is the release of water from Green Mountain <br />Reservoir pursuant to the 1984 Green Mountain Reservoir <br />Operating Policy for delivery to irrigation demands in the Grand <br />Valley near Grand Junction. <br />Existing senior water rights: The Shoshone and Cameo groups of <br />senior water rights generally control the administrative call within <br />the Colorado River Basin. These water rights are located <br />downstream of the subject stream reaches; therefore, an <br />administrative call during dry or average conditions by these water <br />rights can curtail diversions from upstream junior water rights or <br />require the release of water from storage to replace those junior <br />diversions. This administrative call generally results in additional <br />stream flow through the subject stream segments than would exist <br />in the absence of the administrative call. <br />iv. Upper Colorado River Endangered Species: This is an existing <br />mechanism by which water is released or bypassed from upstream <br />reservoirs for the benefit of the endangered fish species in the <br />Grand Valley on a temporary basis. The water deliveries are <br />protected through the subject stream segments downstream <br />through the 15 -Mile Reach of the Colorado River. During peak <br />runoff, bypasses from upstream reservoirs can provide peak <br />flushing flows through the subject stream segments. During dry <br />periods in late summer or early fall, releases from upstream storage <br />to supplement low flows in the 15 -Mile Reach can significantly <br />supplement flows in the subject stream segments. <br />Changed Circumstances: The Plan includes mechanisms to address <br />changed circumstances that could impact the effectiveness of these long- <br />term measures in protecting the ORVs. These are included as part of the <br />detailed Milestones in Attachment B to this Outline. <br />c. Tier 2 Cooperative Measures <br />As a complement to the long -term protection measures, or in the event <br />that ORV Indicators or Provisional or Refined Resource Guides are not <br />Page 9 of 16 <br />