WSP00340

• File Number: 8141
• Description: Fryingpan-Arkansas Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 8/1/1989
• Author: US DoI BoR
• Title: Final Supplement to the Environmental Statement - Ruedi Reservoir Colorado Round II Water Marketing Program - pg ii - 10.4
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: EIS

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Reclamation entered into endangered species consultation with the Fish and
Wildlife Service (FWS) in June 1984, as required by the Endangered Species Act
of 1973, concerning the proposed sale of water from Ruedl Reservoir. During the
consultation process, Reclamation requested the FWS to combine the proposed
biological opinions for Ruedi Round II and Green Mountain water sales. The
respective proposed sales are 51,500 acre-feet from Ruedi and 22,800 acre-feet
from Green Mountain Reservoirs.
In July 1986, the FWS distributed a draft combined biological opinion,
which recommended 10,000 acre-feet (AF) of releases from Ruedi Reservoir for the
conservation of Colorado River endangered species. To accommodate this
recommendation, Reclamation would withhold 5,000 AF of the 51,500 AF from sales;
the water withheld from sale would be treated as if it were contracted to an
industrial user. Also, an ,additional 5,000 AF of water would be made available
for endangered fish flows from Ruedi in the months of July through September
through modified operation of Ruedi Reservoir. This 5,000 AF would be provided
by Reclamation on an average of 4 out of 5 years. Specific requests would be
determined by the FWS in consultation with Reclamation before June 15 of each
year.

The purpose of these flows would be to offset cumulative and site-specific
impacts of the proposed Green Mountain and Ruedi Reservoirs water sales on
endangered fishes in the upper Colorado River. Typically, the proposed releases
are intended to enhance Colorado squawfish spawning and recruitment in the
Colorado River. These proposed releases from Ruedi Reservoir are also a
component of the Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in
the Upper Colorado River 8asin of which the Secretary of Interior and the
Governors of the States of Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado are signatories.
This strategy is referred to as the Preferred with Conservation Measures
Alternative. Reclamation evaluated and distributed preliminary information on
this alternative to a limited number of concerned agencies in November 1986.
In May 1986, the Preferred with Conservation Measures alternative was presented
in a public meeting. The FWS issued the final combined biological opinion on
the water sales on June 15, 1987. Following the agencies' review of the
preliminary information, the public meeting, and the final FWS combined
biological opinion an Addendum to the Draft Supplemental Environmental Statement
was released in January 1988. The Addendum studied impacts of the No Action,
Preferred, and Preferred with Conservation Measures Alternatives in detail.