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.' Q i n.tb . . Enclosure No.1 Comparison Between Mishak National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Russell Lakes Waterfowl Management Area'(WMA) Acquisition, development, and operation of Russell Lakes lIMA, in place of the authorized Miahak NWR, have, as discussed below, several significant advantages to the Closed Basin Project and its sponsors. The project and its sponsors will also benefit monetarily since the revised Fish and Wildlife Plan (June 1981) which includes the Russell Lakes I~~ will result in a cost decrease in excess of $1 million. Since the Mishak m'R is specifically mentioned in the authorizing legislation (Public Law 92-514 [1972]), an amendment deleting the Mishak NWR and inserting the proposed Russell Lakes lIMA is necessary. As originally planned, the Mishak NWR was to encompass about 13,800 acres of lands with about 8,500 acres occurring outside of the designated Closed Basin Project boundaries. Of the 13,800-acre total, 10,240 acres are in private ownership while the remaining 3,560 acres are owned or administered by the Federal government or the State of Colorado. Development of the Mishak NWR will remove at least 10,240 acres of land from local tax rolls. The lands required for the total project with Mtshak NWR included is 138,500 acres. The proposed Russell Lakes lIMA, as presently conceived, would be developed oa about 4,640 acres of land. Approximately 3,120 acres of land in the Russell Lakes WMA are in private ownership. The remaining 1,520 acres are under the administration of the State of Colorado. Acquisition and development of the Russell Lakes WMA will reduce the acreage of private lands removed from local tax rolls by 7,120 acres and will reduce the total project area by 3,860 acres to about 134,640 acres. The water supply for operation of the Mishak NWR was to be derived from surface waterflow averaging about 12,500 acre-feet annually. These surface flows were project salvage water and we,re to be used in management of the Mishak N'o'R on a one-for-one exchsnge basis for salvaged ground water with no decrease in average total water delivered to the Closed Basin Project over a period of years. In recent years, surface waterflows with the Mishak N'w~ area have decreased significantly, primarily due to changes in upstream irrigation methods and resulting in more efficient USe of water. The 12,500 acre-feet annual water supply is no longer available thereby making the development and operation of Mishak NWR inviable. The water supply for the proposed Russell Lakes W}~ will be obtained as existing appurtenant water rights on the 3,120 acres of land acquired from purchase of private ownerships and on the 1,520 acres of land administered by the State of Colorado. No additional water is needed for the successful development and operation of the Russell Lakes I~~. Use of this water supply will have no effect on Closed Basin Project salvaged waters. Approximately 5,000 acres of wetlands were proposed to be located on the 13,800-acre l1ishak NWR. Existing wetlands in the area now total about 600 acres, having about 4,400 acres of manmade wetlands to be developed. In the Russell Lakes lIMA, approximately 1,900 acres of wetlands presently exist. An additional 1,tOO acres of manmade wetlands will be developed in the Russell Lakes l.n.~ to reach the required r"placement "f about 3 ,000 acres of wetlands at this location.