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g$T OF <br /> � United States Department of the Interior <br /> = s• FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE <br /> say $o,9 Ecological Services <br /> 764 Horizon Drive, Building B . <br /> • <br /> Grand Junction,Colorado 81506-3946 <br /> IN REPLY REFER TO: <br /> ES/CO: COE <br /> TAILS: 65413-2008-FA-0001 <br /> October 23, 2007 <br /> Tim Sarmo, Town Manager <br /> Town of Palisade <br /> P.O. Box 128 <br /> Palisade, Colorado 81526-0128 <br /> Dear Tim, <br /> Thank you for meeting with us on September 19th to discuss the proposed Palisade whitewater <br /> park. We have reviewed the "Addendum to the Palisade Whitewater Park Hydraulic Analysis <br /> for Fish Passage"and have considered the information discussed at the meeting. The following <br /> is a summary of our outstanding concerns and information needs. <br /> As you know the project is within critical habitat of the endangered Colorado pikeminnow and <br /> razorback sucker. The Endangered Species Act requires that an analysis be performed to <br /> determine the effects of a proposed project on threatened and endangered species and their <br /> critical habitat. The analysis compares pre-project conditions with post project conditions. At <br /> the Palisade site, the existing conditions provide an open river where fish can move up and <br /> downstream freely. Placing rock structures in the river changes existing conditions that may <br /> impede fish movement and change fish behavior. Therefore,it is essential that adequate <br /> information be provided to determine effects on endangered fish and their habitat at the proposed <br /> project site. <br /> The hydraulics at the Palisade site are complex because it has multi-thread channels with a major <br /> irrigation diversion and a major inflow just upstream of the site. In order to understand the <br /> hydraulics at the proposed whitewater features,the fish passage structures and the fish bypass <br /> channel it is important to understand the percentage of flow delivered to each channel at various <br /> discharges. In multi-thread channels the amount of water in each thread changes as the amount <br /> of discharge changes. It is important for the Town of Palisade to understand the hydraulics at the <br /> proposed whitewater park site because they will be responsible for monitoring the hydraulics <br /> after the project is completed to determine if it meets the design criteria. If the depths and <br /> • <br />