BOARD02631

• Board Meeting Date: 3/29/1999
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Ruedi Reservoir - Proposed Contract for the Release of 21,650 AF to Endangered Fish in the 15-Mile Reach
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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Agenda Item 211, Attachment 1

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United States Department of the Interior

FISH AND WILDUFE SERVICE
Mountain.Prairie Region

IN REPLYRUER TO:

STREET LOCATION:
134 Union' Blvd.
Lakewood, Colorado 80228

MAlUNG ADDRESS:
Post Office Box 25486
Denver Federal Center
Denver. Colorado 80225

ES/Grand Junction-6-CO-95-F-009
Rivers-UCR-Ruedi Reservoir releases
CO/KSINFlUT

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Memorandum

To: Regional Director, Bureau of Reclamation, Great Plains Region, Billings, Montana
(Attention: Area Manager-Loveland, Colorado)

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From:" .': Regional Director, Region 6, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Denver, Colorado

Subject:

Final Amendment to the Biological Opinion for Round n Water Sale from Ruedi
Reservoir

This memorandum constitutes an arnendment to the May 26, 1995, biological opinion for Round
n Water Sales from,Ruedi Reservoir. This arnendment was prepared in response to your June 3,
memorandum regarding section 7 consultation for the continuance ofRuedi Round n water sales
and November 19, 1998, memorandum transmitting YOll! conunents on our September 11, 1998,
draft amendment. Your memorandum of July 1997 states that Bureau of Reclamation has been
unable to implement all the elements of the reasonable and prudent alternative presented in the
May 26, 1995, biological opinion on the subject project. Reclamation has been unable to
implement element 2 of the alternatives which requires an interim agreement between
Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Colorado Water Conservation Board to make the
remaining uncommitted yield (21,650 acre-feet) ofRuedi Reservoir available for release and
delivery through the IS-Mile Reach, for the benefit of the Colorado River endangered fishes.
Therefore, in February 1997, the Service asked Reclamation to refrain from issuing further Round
n water contracts. The Service understands that Reclamation currently has requests for 6,13 5 af
of water from Ruedi Reservoir under Round n Water Sales.

As an amendment to the 1995 biological opinion, the Service has developed the following
reasonable and prudent alternative and reinitiation language to replace language presented in the
1995 opinion.