My WebLink
|
Help
|
About
|
Sign Out
Home
Browse
Search
BOARD01872
CWCB
>
Board Meetings
>
Backfile
>
2001-3000
>
BOARD01872
Metadata
Thumbnails
Annotations
Entry Properties
Last modified
8/16/2009 3:08:15 PM
Creation date
10/4/2006 7:04:05 AM
Metadata
Fields
Template:
Board Meetings
Board Meeting Date
9/27/1999
Description
Colorado River Basin Issues - Interior Department's Indian Water Rights Report
Board Meetings - Doc Type
Memo
There are no annotations on this page.
Document management portal powered by Laserfiche WebLink 9 © 1998-2015
Laserfiche.
All rights reserved.
/
88
PDF
Print
Pages to print
Enter page numbers and/or page ranges separated by commas. For example, 1,3,5-12.
After downloading, print the document using a PDF reader (e.g. Adobe Reader).
Show annotations
View images
View plain text
<br />. <br /> <br />due to habitat changes in both the Upper and Lower Colorado Basin, primarily from dams and <br />diversions, <br /> <br />In 1979, BrA entered into formal consultation with FWS on NIIP but only with regard to its <br />effects on the "terrestrial environment." A "no-jeopardy" opinion was issued with respect to <br />NIIP's effect on the black-footed ferret, bald eagle, and peregrine falcon on April 26, 1979, For <br />aquatic species affected by NIIP, no consultation took place until 199 I. Reclamation's formal <br />consultation with FWS on ALP resulted in a December 28, 1979, biological opinion which <br />concluded that although ALP was "likely to further degrade the San Juan River to a point that <br />this population [of Colorado squawfish] will be lost," the proposed project was not likely to <br />jeopardize its existence. The principal reason for this conclusion was that "because of the <br />apparent small size of the San Juan River squawfish population and its already tenuous hold on <br />survival, its possible loss should have little impact on the successfully reproducing Green and <br />Colorado River squawfish populations. . . ." The I 979 biological opinion therefore recognized <br />that there was a reproducing population of Colorado squawfish in the San Juan River but decided <br />its loss would not equate with jeopardy of the species. The FWS did, however, recommend that <br />Reclamation, then called the Water and Power Resources Service, thoroughly survey the native <br />fish populations of the San Juan River, determine the environmental needs of the Colorado <br />squawfish, provide and fund facilities to spawn and rear squawfish until suitable habitats in the <br />San Juan River could be developed, and adjust the many projects in the San Juan River Basin, <br />including NIIP, to the benefit of the species. On March 6,1981, FWS issued a "no-jeopardy" <br />opinion on the effect of the SJCP on the Colorado squawfish. <br /> <br />In 1980, a formal Section 7 consultation concerning Reclamation's operation ofthe Dolores <br />Project, which diverts water from the Dolores River basin for use in the San Juan River Basin, <br />resulted in a "no jeopardy" opinion with respect to the bald eagle, American peregrine falcon, <br />black-footed ferret, Uinta Basin hookless cactus, and Mesa Verde cactus. The biological opinion <br />concluded, however, that operation of the Dolores Project would likely jeopardize the continued <br />existence of the Colorado squawfish, bonytail chub, and humpback chub in the Colorado River. <br />The agencies developed a reasonable and prudent alternative which required Reclamation to <br />replace total project diversions from the Dolores River Basin with stored water to be released <br />from Reclamation's Aspinall (Curecanti) Unit located on the Gunnison River. Operation of the <br />Dolores Project results in increased return flows to the San Juan River of about 22,000 acre-feet <br />annually. This imported supply has a positive effect on the San Juan River, the opposite effect <br />from a San Juan River depletion. Reclamation has expressed concern that in recent ESA Section <br />7 consultations regarding further water development in the San Juan River Basin, credit has not <br />been given for these added flows. <br /> <br />In September 1985, the Colorado River Fishes Recovery Team (Recovery Team) recommended <br />to the FWS that "the San Juan River be considered an integral part of the Upper Colorado River <br />Basin in its recovery efforts [and] . . . that the Service encourage participation by the State of <br />New Mexico and other appropriate entities so that the San Juan can be more fully incorporated <br /> <br />13 <br />
The URL can be used to link to this page
Your browser does not support the video tag.