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<br />." <br />-I <br />-I <br />-I <br />-I <br />-, <br />I <br /> <br />I <br />J <br /> <br />a <br /> <br />, I <br />J <br />o <br />I <br />I <br />, <br />I <br /> <br />"-"~'; ,--"" .,' ---. <br /> <br />; -,.;-;",,-,; <br /> <br />001192 <br /> <br />project area. There are three major Federal Wildlife Management Areas in the <br />San Luis Valley, They are the Blanca Wildlife Habitat Area (BLM) and the Alamosa <br />and Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuges (FWS) , The Rio Grande State Wildlife <br />Area and the Head-San Luis Lake State Wildlife Area, both managed by the Colorado <br />Division of Wildlife, are also within the San Luis Valley. <br /> <br />Adverse fishery impacts of the project are limited to two coldwater fishery <br />ponds on the Blanca Wildlife Habitat Area, This would result in the loss of <br />about 5,000 pounds of trout production and 1,000 fishermen days use annually, <br /> <br />The project would have its greatest impact on wetlands, vegetation and the <br />various forms of wildlife dependent on these types of habitat for their survival. <br />Our analysis indicates that 8,460 acres of wetland and about 11,000 acres of <br />vegetation would be adversely impacted by the project. This would result in the <br />loss of about 3,400 ducks annually, 337,400 other waterbird-use days and <br />about 600 man-days use of waterfowl hunting. In addition to the fishery impacts <br />outlined above, the main conveyance channel would impact about 4,000 linear <br />feet of dikes and 10 waterfowl nesting islands on the Blanca Wildlife Habitat Area. <br />The project would have no adverse impact on any federally listed or proposed <br />endangered or threatened species. <br /> <br />To mitigate project caused losses to the extent feasible and to capitalize <br />on opportunities for enhancing fish and wildlife resources, the following <br />recommendations are made: <br /> <br />A. That to mitigate the loss of 8,460 acres of wetlands and the <br />damage to about 11,000 acres of vegetation in the project area, the Bureau <br />of Reclamation provide the following: <br /> <br />1. Acquire and transfer to the Bureau of Land Management along with <br />appurtenant water rights, the west 1/2 Section 4, Township 38 North, Range 12 <br />East. <br /> <br />2. One artesian well with the capacity to deliver the adjudicated <br />" water right of 307 acre-feet to the Blanca Wildlife Management Area from the <br />acquired land in recommendation 1 above, Funds to accomplish the drilling of <br />the well would be provided to the Bureau of Land Management by the Bureau of <br />Reclamation. <br /> <br />3. 4,500 acre-feet of project water annually to the Alamosa National <br />Wildlife Refuge from the conveyance channel. Three conveyance channel turnout <br />structures each with a capacity to deliver 4,500 acre-feet in a 120-day period <br />would be required on Alamosa. <br /> <br />4. 800 acre-feet of project water annually to the Blanca Wildlife <br />Habitat area from the conveyance channel. Two conveyance channel turnouts with <br />a total capacity of 800 acre-feet in a 180-day period would be required. Funds <br />to cover the construction of about 3,550 linear feet of pipe lateral, two energy <br />dissipating pipe outlet structures, 4,200 feet of ditches, 4,000 feet of dikes <br />and 10 waterfowl nesting islands would also be required, <br />