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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Low Flows In Grand Canyon Under Consideration: On Feb. 7 Reclamation <br />announced it is considering testing low steady releases from Glen Canyon Dam this summer. <br />Low runoff projections have provided Reclamation an opportunity to consider some low flow <br />scenarios that would test the impacts of low flow releases on humpback chubs and their habitat. <br />Reclarnation believes this testing is consistent with 1995 Biological Opinion on the operation of <br />the dam and for the temperature control studies now underway. <br /> <br />Colorado River Salinity Control Program: Work on improved reporting requirements <br />under the new program as discussed in the Director's Report last month continues. The <br />workgroup will meet in March to further work on this effort and the information will discussed <br />with the Forum at its next meeting on May 24 in Price, Utah. <br /> <br />Letters were sent to the Governor's of each of the Colorado River Basin states on <br />December 3,1999 indicating that the Forum had completed its Triennial Review of the Colorado <br />River numeric criteria for salinity and the plan of implementation for maintaining the numeric <br />criteria. No change to the numeric criteria was recommended. Pursuant to section 303(c)(I) of <br />the Clean Water Act the water pollution control agency for each state now needs to review the <br />criteria and plan of implementation. The Colorado Department of Health conducted <br />informational hearings on the triennial reyiew and adopted it as a policy statement and reaffirmed <br />the existing standard without change. The record has been transmitted to EP A for final approval. <br />EP A approval completes the process. The next reyiew will occur in 2002. <br /> <br />The Senate has passed S. 1211 the bill to reauthorize the Colorado River Salinity Control <br />Act and increase the funding ceiling for competitive basin-wide programs to address Colorado <br />River salinity upstream ofImperial Dam from $75 million to $175 million. The legislation was <br />sent to the House on Nov. 22, 1999. We continue to await action on the Bill in the House. <br /> <br />Coordinated Facilities Study: Final comments on the Phase I draft report were due Jan. <br />15. The consultant is reYiewing comments and is finalizing the report so work can begin on <br />Phase II. We have obtained additional funding from the Recovery Program for Phase II and have <br />drafted a contract amendment and Scope of Work for Phase II. <br /> <br />Coordinated Reservoir Operations Annual Reports: Final comments on the annual <br />reports for 1997, 1998 and 1999 were due on Jan. 15. Staff are incorporating the comments <br />received and are preparing final reports for distribution to the Recovery Program. Copies of the <br />reports are available on our website. <br /> <br />Operations Reports: Drafts of the 1998 and 1999, "Late Summer and Fall Operations <br />Report of the HUP Managing Entities and Water Managers" are available for review from <br />Reclamation. These reports describe the operations of the major reservoirs above the 15-Mile <br />Reach to augment flows in the IS-Mile Reach following the completion of coordinated reservoir <br />operations and on through the irrigation season. <br /> <br />Critical Habitat Designated for Endangered Fishes in the Virgin River: The USFWS <br />has designated 87.5 miles of the Virgin River and its flood plain as critical habitat for the <br />endangered woundfin and Virgin River chub. The designation includes the mainstem Virgin <br />River in southwestern Utah, northwestern Arizona, and southeastern Nevada, and extends from <br />the confluence of La Verkin Creek, Utah, downstream to Halfway Wash, Nevada. <br /> <br />Jl <br />