PROJ00252

• Contract/PO #: C150028
• Contractor Name: Colorado Division of Wildlife
• Contract Type: Grant
• Water District: 0
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

Introduction

The purposes of this report are to summarize the work to date on the proposed Native
Aquatic Species Restoration Facility (NASRF) and to provide a document that meets the
requirements of the Guidelines for Financial Assistance through the Colorado Water
Conservation Board Construction Fund,

The Guidelines set forth specific reporting requirements for any project that is proposed
for funding from the Construction Fund, Among these are:

. a clear definition of the need for and purpose of the proposed project;

. the rationale or methodology used in evaluating project alternatives;

. a detailed description of the selected alternative with a feasibility-level cost estimate;

. a preliminary analysis of the adequacy of the water rights and the quality of the water
with respect to the proposed project;

. an analysis of the financial requirements of the project with a financial program for
the implementation of the project; and

. a description of the institutional requirements such as permits, contracts, and court
actions needed for project implementation.

This document was prepared using those reports, memorandums, and summaries that
have been compiled over the last several years for a recovery facility. The assistance of
the staff of the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW), FishPro, Inc" Leonard Rice
Consulting Water Engineers, Inc., and W.W, Wheeler and Associates, Inc, is gratefully
acknowledged,

Need for and PurDose of the Proiect

There are 54 fish species, 13 amphibians, and 37 molluscs native to Colorado, Of these,
52 percent of the fish, 100 percent of the amphibians, and 3 percent of the molluscs are
listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern due to decline in species number
or loss of habitat. Five fish species and two amphibians are either federally or state listed
as threatened or endangered and 33 fish, amphibian, or mollusc species are considered of
special concern.

The CD OW and the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) made a joint
commitment to the construction of a facility for the recovery of native aquatic species in
Colorado. The purpose of the facility is to provide refuge, propagation, and rearing space

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