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<br />, <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Tom PillS <br />Peler Evan. <br />Re: 15MRPBO and Vampa River Issues <br />May 18. 1999 <br />I'age 3 <br /> <br />I believe that it is time for the Recovery Program to gct out of the "process" mode and. us in the <br />Colorado River mainstem, put on the table the elements of a management plan that meet the future <br />needs of both fish and people. We also need to get beyond the Service's and Recovery Program's <br />cognitive block that the needs of the fish can never be the rcason for acquiring additional storage <br />water in the Yampa River. After years of involvement in the Yampa Basin, I'm convinced that the <br />only way to gain public support for maintaining minimal flow protection levels below Craig is for <br />the Recovery Program to acquire a block of storage water. A strdtegy thut deprives human water <br />uses for the bencfit of the fish (acquisition of e)(isting rights or permit conditions such as those <br />imposed on Craig Station Unit III) will only validate the belief that the Yanlpaand White are being <br />set up as sacrificial lambs for Colorado and Duchesne basins. <br /> <br />I don't view my May 6" letter as ttying to derail or unnecessarily delay the 15-MRPBO. The reality <br />is that the next preliminary Draft 1 S-MRPBO is scheduled for mid-August which means a t1nol130 <br />could be released in late-fall if all the local Colorado River issues can be resolved. <br /> <br />We have ample time to address Yampa River issues in a way that can give River District Board <br />members confidencc that the Recovery Program will work on basins other than thc Colorado Rivcr <br />mainstem. <br /> <br />In the Gunnison Basin the problem is that we havc not yct seen thc Aspinall Unit synthcsis rcport <br />(and subsequent BO) which was due out a long time ago. Until we have a hetter understanding of <br />the potential future of Aspinall Unit operations, the basin is in the dark. There are many, primarily <br />agricultural projects, within the Gunnison Basin. It is esscntial that the Recovery Program eowr <br />nil the existing dcpletions and some increment of new depletions. <br /> <br />Sincerely, <br /> <br />(( tA~ 'LL- <br />R. Eric Kuhn <br />Secretary/General Managcr <br /> <br />K~1II1 <br />u c.;.."II....I~... <br />o.veLiul. <br />!':hCWllk,,*," <br />llenry Maddull: <br />