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<br />SUMMARY <br /> <br />6 acres would be used for the operation and maintenance of the <br />enlarged AB Lateral and its associated structures. <br /> <br />Under the no-action alternative, recreational use along the <br />Gunnison River would be affected by management plans of the <br />Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service. With <br />development, river flows would decline, leading to a decrease in <br />private and commercial rafting and an increase in hikers and <br />anglers. The recreational value of the Uncompahgre River would <br />continue to be limited from a public standpoint because of the <br />limited public land along the river. However, groups have <br />developed public trails and other use areas along the river in <br />recent years and this trend would be expected to continue. River <br />flow changes in the Uncompahgre River would not deter from such <br />developments except in the 4-mile reach between the Loutzenhizer <br />Diversion and Montrose, where flows would be significantly <br />reduced by the development alternatives. As indicated <br />previously, alternative F would provide additional flows to this <br />reach as compared to other development alternatives. <br /> <br />A portion of the Gunnison River downstream from the Gunnison <br />Tunnel has been determined eligible as a wild river under the <br />Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and a wilderness study area <br />borders the river downstream from the Black Canyon of the <br />Gunnison National Monument. Under the no-action alternative, <br />these areas may be designated by Congress as a wild river and a <br />wilderness area. These areas would remain eligible under <br />development conditions according to the National Park Service and <br />the Bureau of Land Management, although some resources would be <br />adversely affected according to these agencies. <br /> <br />Social and Economic Conditions <br /> <br />Without development, the economy of the Montrose-Delta area would <br />continue to be dependent upon agriculture, tourism, and light <br />industry. With the development alternatives, local employment <br />opportunities would increase during construction. Operation of <br />the facility would be expected to produce annual tax revenues to <br />Montrose County of $400,000. Operating revenues to the UVWUA <br />would be expected to range between $150,000 and $300,000 in the <br />first year of operation, escalating each year thereafter to over <br />$1 million in the year 2008. <br /> <br />Without development, rafting uSe along the Gunnison River would <br />be expected to average approximately $311,000 of direct <br />expenditures annually. With development of alternatives B, E, or <br />F, these expenditures would be reduced to about $274,000 <br />annually, or to $237,000 with development of alternative C. <br /> <br />S - 9 <br />