BOARD00507

• Board Meeting Date: 1/26/2000
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - San Juan Recovery Program - Section 7 Agreement
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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Agenda item 23i
January 26-27, 2000 Board Meeting
Page 5 of 13

and 5) establishment of specific procedures by which implementation of flow
recommendations developed by the Program's Biology Committee would be
accomplished during the research period. The reasonable and prudent alternatives for the
Animas-La Plata Project continue to provide the reasonable and prudent altematives for
Endangered Species Act compliance purposes for the depletion impacts of all water
depletions in the San Juan River Basin existing as of October 25, 1991, the date of the
Animas-La Plata biological opinion. Non-depletion impacts of water development and
management activities existing as of October 25, 1991 that are subject to future ESA
compliance are addressed in these principles.

4.0 Environmental Baseline for the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) submitted a biological assessment on completion of
the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project, Blocks 9, 10, and II on June II, 1999. BrA
estimates that irrigation of these blocks will increase annual depletions from the San Juan
River by about 120,580 AF/yr under equilibrium conditions, and, if all acreage is
irrigated, by about 137,580 AF/yr on average until return flows reach equilibrium. The
depletion will require an average annual diversion of about 337,500 AF/yr.

The biological assessment demonstrated that Navajo Dam could be re-operated to mimic
a natural hydrograph of the San Juan River and "to meet the flow'recommendations for
recovery of the endangered Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker." The biological
assessment also demonstrated that "the depletion of water from the San Juan River
necessary to support the proposed project would still allow flow recommendations
formulated for the recovery of the two endangered fish species to be met through the re-
operation of the dam."

The NIIP biological assessment environmental baseline included all existing depletions
as of June, 1999, and all depletions identified in Section 7 c9nsultations that were
conducted by the Service through that time, including the 57,100 AF/yr by the Animas-
La Plata Project and all projects in the environmental baseline fC'l' the Animas-La Plata
Project. The Service concurred with the biological assessment finding that the full
completion of the NIIP as described in the June II, 1999 biological assessment "may
effect, but is not likely to adversely effect the endangered southwest willow flycatcher,
Colorado pikeminnow or razorback sucker; nor is the project likely to result in adverse
modification or destruction of habitat designated in the San Juan basin for the Colorado
pikeminnow or razorback sucker."

BrA committed to remove impediments to fish passage at Navajo-owned diversion dams
(Hogback and Cudei), to construct and operate three ponds to rear razorback sucker for
stocking in the San Juan River, and to monitor selenium discharges in irrigation return
flows. BIA also committed to continuing funding of and participation in the San Juan
River Basin Recovery Implementation Program.

5.0 Long-Range Plan,