Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />.-002338 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />the Rio Grande, shown on Plate I, is planned from the mouth of the <br />proposed Closed Basin Division Conveyance Channel to a point 4 <br />miles below the mouth of the Conejos River, The purpose would be <br />to efficiently convey the water salvaged by the Closed Basin Divi- <br />sion through a section of the Rio Grande that has inadequate <br />capacity, The present 12 miles of sinuous, braided channel would <br />be reduced to 9 miles of well-defined channel. The channel would <br />have a bottom width of 240 feet, a maximum capacity of 3,000 second- <br />feet, and a depth no greater than the Rio Grande streambed. The <br />project would salvage 3,100 acre-feet .0Lwater.annually. <br /> <br />The period of analysis for fish and wildlife coincides with the <br />projected life of the project, 100 years. <br /> <br />FISH <br /> <br />Without the Project <br /> <br />The area of influence of the project on fish includes the 12 miles <br />of the Rio Grande from the mouth of the Closed Basin Division Con- <br />veyance Channel to a point 4 miles below the mouth of the Conejos <br />River in Alamosa, Conejos, and Costilla Counties, Colorado, <br /> <br />Operation of the Closed Basin Division is assumed. The minimum <br />flow would be about 126 second-feet, however during the months of <br />August through October the flows would average 150 second-feet. The <br />Rio Grande is about 150 feet wide in this reach, and the pools and <br />riffles provide food and protection for trout. Fishing on this sec- <br />tion of the Rio Grande would be good for rainbow and brown trout. <br />Use over the period of analysis would be about 1,200 man-days annually. <br /> <br />With the Project <br /> <br />Channelization of ]2 mi les of the Rio Grande downstream of the con- <br />veyance channel would impair this reach of the river for fishing. <br />The river channel would be 240 feet wide and would be reduced in <br />length from 12 miles to 9 miles resulting in the elimination of <br />river meanders. Excavation would destroy deep pools and riffles, and <br />the channel would not provide adequate food and cover for trout. <br />Under project conditions, fishing on this reach of the river would <br />average 200 man-days, a reduction of 1,000 man-days of fishing annu- <br />ally, <br />