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The Animas -La Plata project was originally authorized to include a 270,000 acre- <br />' foot reservoir that would be used for irrigation purposes. Due to environmental <br />concerns, the reservoir size was reduced to 120,000 acre -feet and depletions from the <br />project were limited to 57,100 acre -feet per year, as more specifically described in the <br />Colorado Ute Settlement Act Amendments of 2000 (Settlement Act). The Settlement Act <br />requires the Bureau to comply with the environmental commitments contained in the July <br />2000 Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) and <br />Icorresponding Record of Decision. <br />r� <br />11 <br />Animas River diversions at the Durango Pumping Plant will be subject to the <br />environmental commitments made in the Final EIS. At a minimum, the following <br />seasonal bypass "ows listed below will be required. These flows are intended to <br />mitigate impacts to Animas River fish and cottonwood tree habitat. <br />Animas -La Plata Proiect Seasonal Bvoass Flows <br />Time Period <br />Bypass Flow <br />(cfs <br />Apr — Sep <br />225 <br />Oct — Nov <br />160 <br />Dec — Mar <br />125 <br />Pumping would cease when the Animas River streamflow (at a new gage below <br />the pumping plant) drops below the bypass flow amounts. These flows represent the <br />minimum amounts left in the Animas River, as Animas -La Plata Project diversions will be <br />further constrained by the other environmental commitments listed below. <br />1. To address endangered species requirements, maximum pumping in June <br />' will be limited to 240 cfs, and the Durango Pumping Plant will be operated to <br />mimic the natural hydrograph of the San Juan River. <br />' 2. The Durango Pumping Plant operations may be further modified to address <br />impacts to native fish on the Animas River. <br />3. An operations plan for the Durango Pumping Plant will be developed to limit <br />impacts to non - Colorado Ute Tribal users on the San Juan River. Pumping <br />will be limited during dry years to make additional water available in Navajo <br />Reservoir. <br />1 9 <br />