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<br />" <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />APPENDIX 2 <br /> <br />STUDY PLAN <br /> <br />ELKHEAD RESERVOIR ENLARGEMENT <br />Environmental and Engineering Studies <br /> <br />General <br /> <br />c- <br /> <br />Elkhead Dam creates a 13,700 acre-foot reservoir on Elkhead Creek approximately three miles <br />upstream of its confluence with the Yampa River in northeast Colorado. The dam and reservoir <br />were constructed by, and are owned by, the State of Colorado, acting through its Division of <br />Wildlife (DOW). An agreement to transfer ownership of the facility to the City of Craig was <br />executed in 1990 and is pending. A need to rehabilitate features of the dam has been identified. <br />The potential exists to combine a dam raise with the rehabilitation. The Colorado River Water <br />Conservation District is pursuing a joint venture with the City of Craig to facilitate an <br />enlargement to enhance water supplies in the area for endangered fish and existing and future <br />human uses. <br /> <br />A consensus-based proposal has been made to provide water for flow augmentation for <br />endangered fish and human uses (Consensus Associates, 2000) in conjunction with the <br />development and implementation of an endangered fish recovery and water management plan for <br />the Yampa River Basin (USFWS, 2001). The River District, with assistance from the CWCB, is <br />investigating the engineering and environmental aspects of a potential 8,700 acre-foot <br />enlargement and pursuing the necessary permits to facilitate the enlargement. . <br /> <br />The River District will contract for professional services to address the engineering and <br />economic feasibility and to ascertain the potential environmental impacts of the proposed 8,700 <br />acre-foot enlargement. <br /> <br />Environmental Studies <br /> <br />Inventory of the terrestrial and aquatic environment in and around Elkhead Reservoir. <br /> <br />Preliminary and fmal delineation of wetlands potentially impacted by the proposed <br />enlargement project. <br /> <br />Fisheries and aquatic wildlife impacts assessment. <br /> <br />Terrestrial wildlife impacts assessment. <br /> <br />Assessment of potential impacts to Federally or State listed species of concern. <br /> <br />Identification of issues related to environmental impacts of the proposed enlargement. <br /> <br />Summation of those issues identified in a NEP A scoping process for further study. <br />