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. CHAPI'ER II PLAN OF DEVELOPMENT Other project facilities and services In addition to the irrigation canals and major laterals previously mentioned, other laterals would be constructed as necessary to supplement existing distribution systems in delivering water to the land. Land drains would also be constructed as necessary for efficient irrigation farming. A flow of at least 25 second-feet would be maintained year round for fish in the San Miguel River below the Saltado Reservoir. Specie Creek, which enters the river just below Saltado Dam, would contribute part of the minimum flow for this purpose. The river channel below the reservoir will be structurally improved as a fish habitat in order to mitigate the damage to the river fishery that would result from the storage of water. Supplementing the special provisions for fish and wildlife at the Radium Reservoir, a 200-acre land area adjacent to the reservoir would be developed as a wildlife area and supplied 500 acre-feet of project water annually for irrigation. Fish benefits would also be provided at the Saltado and Naturita Reservoirs. Basic recreational facilities would be constructed at each of the three project reservoirs. . The Saltado Reservoir would provide protection to the downstream river channel against snowmelt type floods. The reservoir would be oper- ated for flood control on the basis of runoff forecasts. No reservoir capacity would be provided exclusively for flood control, however. The project would deliver 7)000 acre-feet of water annually at each of the Naturita and Radium Reservoirs for municipal and industrial water use. It would also provide 30,000 acre-feet for these uses at any point along the San Miguel River. The water could be used by exchange above the Saltado Reservoir if needej. The plan could be modified to provide for delivery of the municipal and industrial water at other places as required by the developing demand. Water Rights The San Miguel project is planned to utilize only water that is not required for beneficial use under prior rights. In some instances, how- ever, prior rights cover more water than appears to be needed for the purposes served. The San Miguel Water Conservancy District is negotiat- ing with the owners of prior rights in an effort to agree on a basis for project operation. . Diversions are currently being made below the Saltado Reservoir site to irrigate about 5)600 acres of land on Nucla Mesa on the north side of the San Miguel River and about 500 acres in the river valley. Water is 17