BOARD02122

• Board Meeting Date: 5/20/2002
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Ruedi Reservoir - Long-Term Contract for Endangered Fish Water Navajo-Gallup
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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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 "15-Mile Reach"; and

WHEREAS, the Board has determined that leasing water from the regulatory capacity of

Ruedi Reservoir for minimum streamflows in the 15-Mi]e Reach will contribute to preserving the
natural environment to a reasonable degree and is consistent with the Board's authorities under

Section 37-92-]02(3), Colorado Revised Statutes; and

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

operating principles; and

WHEREAS, the Secretary of the Interior joined the Governors of Colorado, Wyoming, and

Utah and the Administrator of the Western Area Power Administration in executing a

cooperative agreement on January 2 I -22, ] 988, 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

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