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<br /> <br />...\:.' .~~ <br /> <br />31 <br /> <br /> <br />Agenda Item 21(e) <br />May 21-22,2001 Board Meeting <br />Page 3 of4 <br /> <br />. 1. <br /> 2, <br /> 3, <br /> 4, <br /> 5, <br /> 6, <br /> 7, <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Should the Service consider water availability and modeling of Aspinall reoperations <br />to meet the flow recommendations? Is this really policy or part of sound science? <br />Fish entrainment at Redlands as a result of the fish passage structure, who is <br />responsible? <br />Is there a need for unifonn flow recommendation standards (e,g, hydrologic <br />categories)? <br />Prioritization of river segments, how will conflicts between differing flow <br />recommendations be resolved? <br />What will be the ultimate role of floodplain restoration program in providing <br />floodplain habitat without overbank flows? <br />What is the Gunnison's role in recovery ofthe endangered fish? <br />Biology Committee report approval process, is it broken? <br /> <br />The V,S Fish and Wildlife Service is considering the following responses to the questions <br />raised. <br />· Reaoh priorities should be set and if a stream reach affects another stream reach, the <br />same hydrologic criteria or categories should be used. <br />· Prior to making final flow recommendations, water availability should be considered <br />and factored into the flow recommendation process, <br />· Prior to making flow recommendations for razorback and Pikemiunow in the <br />Gunnison, a detennination as to whether or not Gunnison River habitat is needed to <br />achieve recovery goals should be made. <br />. Prior to making flow recommendations, the status of endangered fish in the Gunnison <br />should be documented (Le, arc they present, spawning, recruiting, recovering), This <br />would be used to determine habitat suitability, <br />· The primary benefit of overbank flows is to provide spawning and YOY habitat. <br />· There should be no peak flows in dry years, moderately dry years and possibly dry <br />average years if they are not large enough to cause initial sediment motion. <br />. There should be no flow recommendations for humpback on the Gunnison (only <br />present in Westwater and Blackrock areas), Populations while small appear stable <br />and have done okay with historic flow regimes prior to reservoir reoperations, <br />· Report needs to find that reservoir reoperations will not adversely impact or otherwise <br />harm existing native fish populations and in fact find that they should help, <br />· Proposed peaks that will provide flooded bottomland will be done in a manner that is <br />consistent with the existing EA for flooded bottomJands and stays within the spirit <br />and intent of the program, <br /> <br />Further follow-up with the V,S, Fish and Wildlife Service is required and it may be <br />appropriate to adopt some policy positions on these issues in the near future, <br /> <br />Aspinall Unit Operations <br /> <br />At the April 26, coordination meeting the forecasted inflow into the Aspinall Vnits was <br />projected to be about 85% of average, As a result, Blue Mesa reservoir would not fill, <br /> <br />3 <br />