BOARD01876

• Board Meeting Date: 7/23/2001
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Ruedi Reservoir - Proposed Annual Contract to Deliver 10,825 AF to Endangered Fish in 15-Mile Reach
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

e Engineer for Water Division 5 to administer water or interests in water held by the Board for
minimum streamflows to preserve the natural environment to a reasonable degree within a
section of the Colorado River, starting at Palisade, CO, known as the" IS-Mile Reach"; and

WHEREAS, the Board has determined that leasing water from the regulatory capacity of
Ruedi Reservoir for minimum streamflows in the IS-Mile Reach will contribute to preserving the
natural environment to a reasonable degree and is consistent with the Board's authorities under
Section 37-92-102(3), Colorado Revised Statutes; and

WHEREAS, Section 37-92-102(3), Colorado Revised Statutes, is not inconsistent with the
operating principles; and

,

e

WHEREAS, the Secretary of the Interior joined the Governors of Colorado, Wyoming, and
Utah and the Administrator of the Westem Area Power Administration in executing a
cooperative agreement on January 21-22,1988, to implement the Recovery Implementation
Program for the Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin (Recovery
Program); and

WHEREAS, elements of the Recovery Program are to acquire water and water rights to

protect the habitat of the endangered fish and to conduct research to identify the flow and habitat

requirements of the endangered fish; and

WHEREAS, under Section 5 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Secretary of the
Interior has the authority to lease water for the conservation of endangered species; and

e

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