BOARD02111

• Board Meeting Date: 5/16/2006
• Description: CWCB - Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

habitat potential, and that the DRD will coordinated by offering GIS data and videography and sharing in
experimental findings. Mallory would like to see Reaches 7 and 8 added back in to the DRD analysis, a .
suggested water quality monitoring below the confluence with the San Miguel. The group discussed the
influence ofUMETCO and resumption of uranium mining in the San Miguel watershed. The influence of
salinity was also discussed and the possibility that cleaning up the barriers may have allowed invasive
fish to penetrate these reaches.

Update of Correlation Renort Draft. Don went over the outline and templates that are guiding the
drafting of the report. David presented the first section of the report on Hydrology and Expected Future
Water Availability. David has nearly completed a draft on the historic and expected future ecology under
current which will be circulated for comment in the near future. DRD participants will also be invited to
suggest base flow, spill management, and in channel restoration alternatives so that potential benefits can
be analyzed with in the templates and evaluated for social, political and financial feasibility.

Next DRD Meetinl! - Early September was proposed. A specific suggestion is Thursday, September 7.
Over the summer the field work will proceed along with work on the correlation work. The meeting in
September will provide an update on these activities and set the stage for a workshop in November.

The Navajo Reservoir Operations - Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS):- The FEIS was
released and sent to EP A on April 20, 2006. The FEIS provides an analysis of modifications to the
operations of Navajo Reservoir necessary to implement the flow recommendations provided by the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program. The purpose of the proposed action is to provide
sufficient releases of water at times and in the quantities and durations necessary to conserve, in concert
with other approved recovery program actions, two endangered fish species (Pikeminnow and Razorback
Sucker) and their designated critical habitat in the San Juan River downstream of Farmington, New
Mexico. Reclamation will maintain all the authorized purposes of the Navajo Unit of the Colorado River
Storage Project. The modified operations will protect existing water uses and enable future water
development to proceed in the San Juan River Basin in compliance with applicable laws, compacts, court
decrees and Indian trust responsibilities. No decision will be made on the federal action until 30-days
after release of the FEIS. Following the 30-day waiting period, Reclamation will complete the "Record of
Decision." The FEIS was prepared by the Department of the Interior through the Bureau of Reclamation
and in cooperation with the: Bureau of Indian Mfairs; Bureau of Land Management; Corps of Engineers;
Environmental Protection Agency; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Fish and Wildlife Service;
National Park Service; Jicarilla Apache Nation; Southern Ute Indian Tribe; Navajo Nation; Ute Mountain
Ute Tribe; Colorado Water Conservation Board; New Mexico Department of Game and Fish; New
Mexico Interstate Stream Commission; New Mexico Environment Department; City of Farmington; San
Juan Water Commission; and Southwestern Water Conservation District. For further information, contact
Mr. Pat Page, Bureau of Reclamation. Westem Colorado Area Office, 835 East Second Avenue, Suite
300, Durango, Colorado 81301; telephone: [phone] or email: DDal!elaluc.usbr.l!ov. The FEIS is
also available on Reclamation's website.

.

Animas-LaPlata Project (ALP) Updates - Water R1ghtll, Project Operations Committee and
Progress:
. A 4-day trial on due diligence for the ALP water rights in Case Number 0lCW54 was held between
April 17 and 20 in Durango. Even though the ALP is under construction and approximately 30%
complete the Citizens Progressive Alliance (CPA) continues to challenge the ALP at every
opportunity. Randy Seaholm testified at the trial on activities associated with the Romer-Schoettler
that sought to develop a compromise alternative for the ALP. which process occurred during the
diligence period. While the trial reportedly went well. Judge Lyman has not yet issued his decision in
the case.

.

26