BOARD00259

• Board Meeting Date: 1/12/1998
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Issues - San Juan Recovery Program and Section 7 Consultation for the City of Durango
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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GJ-6-CO-97-F-026
CO/KS/NE/UT

December 10. 1997

Lt. Colonel Dorothy F. Klasse
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Sacramento District
1325 J Street
Sacramento. California 95814-2922

Dear Colonel Klasse:

This ~ biological opinion for a new intake structure on the Animas River
for the City of Durango (permit application 199775126) has been reviewed by
and prepared in cooperation with our Albuquerque. New Mexico. Ecological .
Services Office in Region '2 of the Fish and Wildlife Service. While the
actual depletion occurs in La Plata County. Colorado. the associated impact to
endangered fishes occurs in the San Juan River in southwest Colorado, New
Mexico. and Utah. The San Juan River is covered under the "Recovery
Implementation Program for the San Juan River" (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1992) for which Region 2 has the lead. This biological opinion is consistent
with the Program agreements administered by Region 2.

In accordance with section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and the Interagency Cooperation regulations
(50 CFR 402), this transmits the Service's draft biological opinion for
impacts to federally listed endangered species. This opinion is provided to
you as the lead Federal Agency regarding section 7 consultation on this
project. Copies of this opinion should be provided to the applicant.

Reference is made to your July 2. 1997. correspondence requesting initiation
of formal consultation for the City of Durango's Gateway Pump Project. The
Service concurs that tne annual depletion of water from the San Juan River-
"mav affect" the endangered Colorado squawfish (Ptvchocheilus lucius) Ql}Q..
razorback sucker (Xvrauchen texanus) and "may affect" their critical habitat.

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