Laserfiche WebLink
<br />endangered species, Walcher said that Luecke's expertise on these issues is unmatched, and believes that he <br />should remain part of both programs as an independent conservation representative, <br /> <br />"Decades oflitigation, distrust and animosity surround the ESA and its implementation, but we are making <br />marked progress," Walcher said, "States, the federal govemment, water suppliers and environmentalists have <br />discovered a more cooperative approach through endangered species recovery programs, Successful <br />recovery programs exist today on the Colorado, San Juan and Platte Rivers that concentrate efforts on the <br />species rather than the rhetoric, and Dan was a major player in these successes, Unfortunately, <br />Environmental Defense hasn't gotten the message," <br /> <br />Endangered Fish Recovery Program Suspends Fish Ladder Operation: On May 2 the Upper Colorado <br />River Endangered Fish Recovery Program announced it is temporarily suspending operation of the fish <br />ladder at the Redlands Diversion Dam in an effort to help conserve water for other uses in the Gunnison <br />River. The ladder began operation April 4 and was shut down April 22 in anticipation of a call on the river <br />by the Redlands Water and Power Company, The ladder will remain closed until flows in the Gunnison <br />River increase with spring runoff, About 600 fish of various species have already ascended the ladder this <br />year. The ladder enables endangered Colorado pikemll1l10w and razorback sucker to reach sections of the <br />Gunnison River where they are historically known to spawn, <br /> <br />The ladder requires 100 cubic feet per second (cfs) to operate with an additional 200 cfs downstream to help <br />the fish navigate their way through shallow areas downstream, Water stored in Blue Mesa Reservoir is <br />identified for operation ofthe fish ladder. <br /> <br />Mexican Delta Story in LA Times: A recent feature about the Mexican Delta and the impacts of linlllg the <br />Al American Canal was published III the LA Times, A copy of the story is attached, <br /> <br />Instream Flows below Wolford Mountain Reservoir: On April 22 the River District contacted us <br />regardlllg proposed operations of Wolford Mountalll Reservoir with respect to the ISF Muddy Creek rights <br />below the reservoir. Over the past three years, base reservoir lllflow has been below the CWCB's ISF rights, <br />and as a result, the CRWCD has released water from storage III order to maintain, at a mlllimum, the Board's <br />20 cfs (7/15 -4/30) junior right. <br /> <br />This year, flow conditions are extremely low and the River District indicated it planned to operate to the base <br />ISF amount of 20 cfs throughout the fill season, This would be done in order to maximize the amount of <br />storable water available to the West Slope for the balance of this water year. The River District has <br />anticipated only belllg able to store 10,000-acre feet or less this year. However, as of May 3, they were out- <br />of-priority and the State Engllleer was administering the river to pull all flows through the reservoir. At this <br />time the flow below Wolford Mountalll was approximately 100 cfs, This situation resulted in the Board's <br />ISF rights belllg met on Muddy Creek as a consequence of downstream senior call1llg rights, <br /> <br />The graph below is for the USGS gage below Wolford Mountain for the time period from April 26 through <br />May 3, Depending on the call situation, flows may drop to the 20 cfs mlllimum promised by CRWCD, <br />however, it is likely that the ISF rights will at times benefit as a result of downstream calling rights pUlllllg <br />water through the reservoir and through the ISF reach below the reservoir, <br /> <br />18 <br />