WSPC06199

• File Number: 8541
• Description: San Luis Valley Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Water Division: 3
• Date: 7/15/1981
• Author: Robert H Weimer
• Title: San Luis Valley Project Closed Basin Division - 1980-1981 - Revised Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Plan ‎(June 1981)‎, Closed Basin Division, San Luis Valley Project, Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Table 6
Summary of Ducks Produced on Wetlands Affected by the Project

3,443

acres of wetland lost (8,460 acres - 198 acres Blanca WHA)
ducks produced/acre of wetland low-density area
ducks lost
ducks lost in Blanca WHA (198 acres of wetlands and 410 acres
of wetland terrestrial habitat)
ducks lost in the San Luis/Head Lake wetland area (670 acres
of wetland)
ducks lost/year with the project

8,262
x .31
2,561
+ 601
3,162
+ 281

This loss of waterfowl translates into the loss of about 594 hunter-days and
the loss of 1,033 birds which would have been harvested without the project.
Other water bird use losses were calculated at 40 use-days/acre/season. The
8,460 acres of wetlands impacted by the' project would result in a loss of
338,400 other water bird use-days/season.

D. Fishery

Fishery impacts of the project are limited to two cold-water fishery ponds
(Mallard 4 and 5) on the Blanca liliA. These two ponds, totaling 30 surface
acres, produce about 5,251 pounds of trout annually. Water level drm.down due
to pumping would probably eliminate the trout fishery in these two ponds.

E. Structures

The main conveyance channel would either eliminate or remove from intensive
mana~ement about 4,000 linear feet of dikes and about 10 waterfowl nesting
islands on the Blanca lIRA (Mallard 4).

III. Mitigation of Proiect Effects

Development, operation, and maintenance of the Closed Basin Division project
will result in adverse effects in varying degrees to wetlands, vegetation,
waterfowl production, other water bird use, existing fisheries, and various
existing structures. The adverse effects are alleviated by the fcllowing
mitigation plan as detailed below and summarized in table 7.

A. WeU~

Approximately 8,460 acres of various wetland types will be affected by
cons t ruction of the conveyance channel (5,026 acres) and wa ter table drawdown
due to project pumping (3,434 acres). The FWS has determined that the,se
affected wetlands are "Resource Category 2" wetlands based on recent mitigation
policy rulemaking as published in Federal Reg,ster, September 9, 1980 (vol. 45,
No. 176) and Federal Register, January 23, 1981 (vol. 46, No. 15).

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