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<br />Four Seasons Trout Farm <br />March 21-22, 2002 <br /> <br />Agenda Item 11 <br />(Updated March 22, 2002) <br /> <br />Feasibility Studies <br />McMillon Engineering of Ridgway has completed plans and specifications for the project. Those <br />plans were independently evaluated by Norm Erthal of the Colorado Division of Wildlife and found <br />to be adequate in terms of constructability and maintenance required to avoid the recurrence of <br />whirling disease. A draft feasibility study has been completed by John Van Sciver in accordance <br />with CWCB guidelines and includes an assessment of alternatives available for rehabilitation of <br />the Four Season Trout Farm hatchery. ' <br />The Four Seasons Trout Farm <br />The Four Seasons Trout Farm is a commercial fish hatchery owned and operated by John <br />Niblack, and registered with the Colorado Secretary of State. The Company / John Niblack <br />owns the property that will be collateral for the loan. Neither of these entities is subject to <br />TABOR. <br /> <br />Water Riqhts <br />The FSTF owns direct flow and storage water rights from springs and collection systems above <br />the hatchery. These rights are tributary to Surface Creek, which is tributary to the Gunnison <br />River. These rights are described in Table 1: <br /> <br />Table 1: Water rights owned by the Four Seasons Trout Farm <br /> <br />Priority # Uses Water Riqht <br />#L-15 (Structure #L-13 Storaoe Fish culture 3.91 Acre-feet <br />#L-16 (Structure #L-13 Direct flow Fish culture 2.00 cfs <br />#K-52 (Structure #K-45 Direct flow, 1963 Fish culture 3.00 cfs <br />Totals 3.91 acre-feet / 5 cfs <br /> <br />These water rights are non-consumptive and used for the purpose of raising fish. <br /> <br />Proiect Description <br />Three alternatives were analyzed in the feasibility study: <br /> <br />1. No Action <br />2. Reconstruction of the hatchery raceways ($67,000) <br />3. Reconstruction of the hatchery raceways including predator control, and rehabilitation of <br />the source water collection system and hatchery building ($97,945) <br /> <br />Alternative 2, Reconstruction of the hatchery raceways ($67,000), Is critical to elimination of <br />whirling disease from the facility. New concrete raceways would be designed so that they can <br />be easily and frequently cleaned to eliminate M. cerebralis spores before they can infect the <br />trout. However, additional work is needed to guard against whirling disease, and for this reason <br />Alternative 2 was not selected. Alternative 3, Reconstruction of the hatchery raceways including <br />predator control, and rehabilitation of the source water collection system and hatchery building <br />($97,945 estimated) was the alternative with the least overall cost Ihat provided the best <br />defense against recurrence of whirling disease. The source water system needs to be rebuilt so <br />that it is protected from surface contamination that might include whirling disease. Predator <br />control consists of screening to keep birds, raccoons and other animals from entering the <br />hatchery raceways and/or eating the fish. These wild animals cost the hatchery money in terms <br />of lost fish production, and are a possible source of M. cerebralis spores. This alternative is <br />considered the preferred alternative. The no-action alternative was considered unacceptable <br />since it means the hatchery would be unable to operate. <br /> <br />2 <br />