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<br />20f9 <br /> <br />Draft <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />May 10, 2005 <br />No Aclion Alternative and Existing Conditions Description for NEP A document <br />Environmental Baseline for ESA consultalion <br />Aspinall Unit Operations ElS <br /> <br />I. No Action Alternative <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />The No Action Alternative represents a projection of current operating practices to the <br />most reasonable future conditions thai could occur during the life oflhe project without <br />any action alternalives being implemented. The No Action Alternative should nol <br />automatically be considered to be the same as the existing conditions, since reasonably <br />foreseeable future actions may be taken whether or not any of the project action <br />alternatives are chosen. The No Action alternative is the basis to which all other <br />alternatives are compared in the NEP A document. <br /> <br />Under the No Action alternative, elements of the Recovery Program would continue-for . <br />example, stocking of endangered fish, non-native fish control, operation of the Redlands <br />Fish Ladder and Screen, management ofbackwalers, and monitoring. However, special <br />operations to assist in meeting the flow recommendations for endangered fish would not <br />be made. <br /> <br />In the EIS there will be a narrative explanation of how operations evolved to their present <br />conditions (this narrative could be in the description of alternatives EIS section, in the <br />description of existing conditions section, or in appendices). For example lhe history of <br />increasing minimum flows in lhe Black Canyon from 200 cfs to 300 cfs and the flow <br />changes over the years related to hydropower operations could be discussed. <br /> <br />Discretion <br /> <br />Reclamation is responsible for decision making associated with reservoir operations and <br />the interpretation of hydrology, operation planning, and dam safety. While there is broad <br />discretion in operations, some operating criteria can be considered non-discretionary. <br />Non-discretionary operations will be included in the No Action and all action <br />alternatives. Examples of operations that are non-discrelionary are: <br /> <br />-following drawdown restriclions at Morrow Point and Crystal Reservoirs related to <br />landslides <br />-river regulation, including Crystal Dam's role of re-regulating peaking releases <br /> <br />. <br />