Laserfiche WebLink
<br />endangered species that may be affected by the operations and maintenance of the lower Colorado <br />River. The agencies are making the reports available for review and are seeking public comment. <br /> <br />The lower Colorado River, from north of Lake Mead to the Mexican border, is an important source of <br />water and hydropower to the states of Arizona, California, and Nevada. Each state diverts water from <br />the river for agricultural, municipal and industrial purposes. This water travels as far as the cities of <br />Los Angeles and San Diego in California and Phoenix and Tucson in Arizona. The primary farming <br />areas in the Imperial Valley of California are also supplied with Colorado River water. Reclamation <br />operates the large dams on the river for flood control, water storage and hydropower generation and <br />__:_..._=__ ...1.._ -=_.__ _L____1 ...L_~.~L _.._L':1':~_....:__ ...1_...1.-:_.... ..._...1 ......l...-- _-....~'"""".. <br />111&nl.i:U.lllS Ul'C 11 V'l;iI '-'UWlllf;;;J UlluugUl:>I.aU.1llL.aUUlJ, UlIWU!;1J.l!; auu UUl'I.,. V1VY4111i:). <br /> <br />To minimize and rnitigate the effects of dam operations and water diversions on wildlife, the Lower <br />Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP) has developed a Habitat <br />Conservation Plan in a process involving participants and stakeholders from potentially affected or <br />interested groups on the lower Colorado River. <br /> <br />"Taking" of threatened and endangered species is prohibited under the Endangered Species Act. <br />However, the Service, under limited circumstances, may issue permits to take threatened or <br />endangered wildlife species when such taking is incidental to, and not the purpose of, otherwise lawful <br />activities. <br /> <br />The conservation plan provides for the creation of 8, 132 acres of riparian, marsh and backwater <br />habitats and establishes a fund for the maintenance of existing habitats to offset adverse effects. The <br />level of conservation contained in the proposed plan exceeds what is needed for mitigation and will <br />contribute to the recovery oflisted species. <br /> <br />The LCR NiSep has submitted the draft habitat conservation pian to the Service together with a <br />request for permission to take listed species. The Service has weighed the alternatives of issuing such <br />a permit in the draft Environmental Impact Statement and Report and is now seeking public comments <br />before making its decision on issuing an incidental take permit. <br /> <br />Copies of the Plan may be reviewed at httD://www.lcrmsco.org. Comments must be received by <br />August 18,2004. <br /> <br />Gunnison River Basin <br /> <br />AspinaU Unit Operations EIS Scoping Report: The Scoping Report identifying the range of issues <br />that were raised during the scoping process for this EIS was received on May 21. The issues covered <br />the full range that we had anticipated. <br /> <br />In addition, Reclamation formally invited the State of Colorado to become a participating agency in the <br />EIS process. The Department of Natural Resources has accepted the invitation and is waiting for <br />Reclamation to call the first meeting. <br /> <br />The EIS process is somewhat uncertain given the pending litigations in-progress on the Gunnison <br />River involving the Black Canyon National Park Reserved Water Rights Settlement. <br /> <br />Governor Appoints Leo M. Large to Uravan Water Trust: On June 18, Governor Bill Owens <br />appointed Leo M. Large ofNucla to serve on the Uravan Water Trust as a Trustee on behalf of the <br />State of Colorado. Mr. Large, who is also a Montrose County Commissioner, fills the vacancy <br />occasioned by the death of Dan Noble who had previously served in this capacity. Mr. Large was <br />nominated for this position and had the unanimous support of the Montrose Board of County <br />Commissioners, the Town ofNucla and the Town ofNatnrita. <br /> <br />17 <br />