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<br />, <br /> <br />Project Impacts <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The enlargement project will increase storage volume of the reservoir by 11,750 acre-feet and <br />increase surface area from 435 acres to 720 acres at full pool. Approximately 37 acres of <br />jurisdictional wetlands will be inundated. Approximately 31.7 acres of the impacted wetlands <br />are in the area of sediment deposition created at the upper end of the existing reservoir. The <br />remainder are in small isolated areas along the shoreline of the existing reservoir and at the toe of <br />the existing dam. See the enclosed copy of the USACOE 404 permit and application for more <br />detail. I have included both as the application contains information not included in the permit. <br /> <br />Non-native game fish contained in Elkhead Reservoir are being maintained at the request ofthe <br />Colorado Division of Wildlife by keeping a game fish mitigation pool in the reservoir during <br />construction. <br /> <br />Moffat County Road 28 uses the dam crest to cross the Elkhead Creek valley. During <br />construction this road will not be available, so a temporary detour is being constructed across the <br />reservoir basin on the portion of County Road 78 which was inundated by the existing reservoir. <br />Elkhead Reservoir will be maintained at a reduced level during the construction period to <br />accommodate this detour. <br /> <br />The existing reservoir has limited recreational facilities consisting of a boat ramp, two ski <br />beaches, one swim beach, a primitive campground, an undefined camping area and 4 vault toilet <br />type restroom facilities. The recreational aspects of the existing reservoir are operated by . <br />Colorado State Parks (CSP) as part ofthe Yampa River State Park. Impacts to the existing <br />recreation facilities will be mitigated by the project. CSP has committed one million dollars to <br />make improvements to the recreation facilities during the construction period of the enlargement <br />project. Due to the extent ofthe enlargement project activities, the entire site will be closed to <br />public access during the enlargement project (December 2004 until Spring 2007). <br /> <br />Wetlands Mitigation <br /> <br />Wetlands mitigation for the impacts related to the enlargement project is described in detail in <br />the attached USACOE 404 permit and application. Wetlands mitigation includes creating 37.8 <br />acres of new wetlands in 4 locations around the reservoir. These wetland mitigation areas are <br />depicted in the attached USACOE 404 permit. The mitigation plan is discussed in the permit <br />application. The mitigation areas are distributed around the reservoir in discrete locations <br />making them more ecologically functional than the isolated pockets surrounding the existing <br />reservoir. The sediment wedge which will accumulate at the upstream end of the new reservoir <br />will also create a wetlands area. The new upstream area will be enhanced and accelerated <br />through construction of sediment retention structures and by wetlands plantings. <br /> <br />One of the wetlands mitigation areas has been designed to support water fowl nesting activities. <br />While the lake and its margins provide a significant amount of water fowl habitat, nesting habitat <br />does not currently exist. Creation of new wetlands area which is disconnected from the reservoir <br />shoreline will facilitate the successful nesting of water fowl at the enlarged Elkhead Reservoir. <br /> <br />. <br />