WSPC05982

• File Number: 8541
• Description: San Luis Valley Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Water Division: 3
• Date: 6/1/1982
• Title: San Luis Valley Project Closed Basin Division - 1982 - Fish and Wildlife Report for the Closed Basin Division, San Luis Valley Project, Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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001194

Trout hatching and rearing facilities operated by the Colorado Division of
Wildlife and the Fish and Wildlife Service in this general area presently
are inadequate due to limited water supplies of suitable quality and quantity,
Establishment of a hatchery and rearing unit within the project area would,
greatly enhance fish-cultural operations. However, due to some unresolved
questions, the determination of the feasibility of a hatchery must be
deferred until Stages 1-2 of the project are in operation, A recommendation
could possibly then be made as to the inclusion of a fish hatchery and the
necessary water supply facilities,

Adoption of the recommendations contained in this report would compensate for
the loss of fishing habitat, wetlands and other wildlife habitat caused by
the project. Due to the fact that the mitigation plan is designed to compensate
for habitat losses rather than man-days of fishing, hunting or waterfowl pro-
duction, the revised plan would result in substantial enhancement benefits to
fish and wildlife resources. Beneficial impacts to the fishery include the
stabilization of San Luis Lake, the establishment of a coldwater fishery in
the 42- mile long conveyance channel and the improvement of streamf10ws in
about 108 miles of the Rio Grande, Fishing use on project effected waters
would increase by about 63,000 man-days annually with associated net benefits
of about $169,000. In addition to the fishery benefits outlined above, the
project would result in the additional production of about 13,000 waterfowl.
The additional waterfowl would provide 2,200 man-days of hunting with annual
net benefits of about $21,000, The development of the higher quality wetlands
would result in an increase of about 240,180 other waterbird/use/days season.
As a result of this increase, there would be about 7,000 additional man-days
of wildlife oriented use with net benefits of about $14,000 annually,

The estimated total capital cost of the fish and wildlife mitigation aspects
of the project based upon January 1981 prices is $4,772,900, Annual 0 and M
of the mitigation features on A1amosa NWR and Russell Lakes area is expected to
be about $52,100, Fish and wildlife and recreation enhancement costs at San
Luis Lake are estimated at $2,690,000. The Colorado Division of Wildlife will
be responsible for the reimbursement of about $204,000 of this amount.

This report is based on information made available to our Service prior to
June 1981. If additional data relative to fish and wildlife resources becomes
available or changes are made in project plans, the Fish and Wildlife Service
should be informed so that a new report may be prepared if necessary.

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