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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />funded outside the program and the struggle is always to keep the GCAMP properly focused. <br />The key differences remain on the scope and funding for research and monitoring allowed <br />upstream of the dam, releases greater than power plant capacity and reintroduction of native <br />species that are no longer present in Grand Canyon. The TWG also heard an update on the Low <br />Steady State Summer Flows (LSSF) planned for this summer. With the forecast declining again, <br />there is now a possibility that under the LSSF the Upper Basin will release more water than <br />required. Under the LSSF, significant changes in releases will not be made in order to <br />accomplish the research scheduled. <br /> <br />On March 31, 2000, Mark Schaefer, Acting Assistant Secretary for Water and Science <br />announced that the new institutional home for the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research <br />Center will be within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The next step will be to develop the <br />implementation plan (see the attached letter). Dr. Barry Gold has been named the new director <br />of the GCMRC by the of the USGS Director, Dr. Charles Groat. <br /> <br />Low Flow Releases from Glen Canyon Dam: Reclamation has announced it will begin <br />a test oflow steady summer flow releases (8,000 cfs) from Glen Canyon Dam. The releases will <br />be for the benefit of the endangered humpback chub in the Grand Canyon and will assist in <br />compliance with the Endangered Species Act. The low flows will begin June 1. The low flows <br />will be proceeded by high flows (17,000 to 31,000 cfs) to create ponds and other desirable <br />habitat conditions at the confluence of the Little Colorado River. These habitats will allow the <br />young humpback chubs to more quickly grow and survive when they move from the warmer <br />tributary into the colder water of the mainstem Colorado River. <br /> <br />In September Reclamation plans to again increase flow to 31,000 cfs for an additional <br />four-day period. The opportunity to conduct this test of low steady summer flows has come <br />about because of dry early winter and low forecasted runoff into Lake Powell. In early January it <br />appeared this would be a very dry year that would result in releases from Glen Canyon Dam <br />totaling 8.23 to 8.32 million acre-feet for the year. That is the minimum release volume possible <br />under current Law of the River operations. <br /> <br />This is also the first such dry runoffforecast since the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service <br />(USFWS) issued the Biological Opinion in 1995. Under the Opinion Reclamation agreed to test <br />low flows and determine if there is any benefit provided to the endangered fish. Following this <br />test, a decision will be made to either continue with the steady flows of 8,000 cfs or change to a <br />summer pattern of higher fluctuating flows dictated by hydrologic conditions. If the conditions <br />warrant suspending the steady low flow test, research will continue downstream with a shift to <br />gathering data that is needed for more normal "baseline" conditions. In addition, existing <br />emergency exception criteria pertaining to the electrical power system will apply during the test. <br />Ifbrownouts or other power system disturbances occur, Glen Canyon Dam may be required to <br />respond by changing powerplant releases, thus affecting the test releases. <br /> <br />Gunnison River Basin Issues <br /> <br />Aspinall Unit Administration: On April 21, Reclamation held a negotiation session on <br />an agreement concerning administration of the Aspinall Unit water rights in the Gunnison River <br />Basin. The agreement will formalize past commitments in which the U.S. agreed to allow junior <br />water users in the basin to develop up to 60,000 acre-feet of water within the natural basin of the <br /> <br />9 <br />