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04.'7 () 2.4 I I I I I I I I I I 1 I I I I .1 I I I the months when the Colorado River is at its lowest. Overall demand for water from the Colorado River is high in the months of April through October due to the increased requirements of agriculture, municipalities, and industry. Water not supplied by Rued\ Reservoir to meet the base demand is assumed to be met using water rights for direct flow from the Colorado River or a tributary. Preferred with Conservation Measures Alternative. Maximum Suoolemental Suoolv under same Conditions as Preferred Alternative. but with 5.000 AF Withheld from Sale and 5.000 AF to be Provided Under Soecial Conditions to Suoolement Base Flows for EndanQered Fish Soecies The Preferred with Conservation Measures Alternative is a modification of the Preferred Alternative based on the June 15, 1987, Biological Opinion rendered by the FWS as a result of consultation between Reclamation and the FWS for Ruedi Round II and Green Mountain water sales. Basically, the Biological Opinion requires that Reclamation would withhold 5,000 AF from the volume previously anticipated for sale to industrial users. This amount would be made available for instream flows for Colorado River endangered fish downstream of Palisade, Colorado, in the months of July through September. FWS, in consultation with Reclamation, would determine when the withheld water would be needed for endangered fish flows. The water withheld from sale would be treated as if it were subject to contract to an industrial user. Also as part of this alternative, on an average of at least 4 out of every 5 years, an additional 5,000 AF would be made available for endangered fish flows from Ruedi in the months of July through September through modified operations at Ruedi. Preliminary release patterns have been determined, but would be specifically determined each year by June 15 by the FWS in consultation with Reclamation. Originally, the Preferred with Conservation Measures Alternative was simulated for the release of all 10,000 AF of conservation flows over a 31-day period in August. This scenario was discussed with various resource agencies in November 1986. In response to public concerns, the alternative was resimu- lated with the 10,000 AF of conservation flows released as 5,000 AF in August and 5,000 AF in September. This alternative would also yield a marketable water supply of up to 51,500 AF under a dry-year condition assuming the same shortage criteria as the previous alternative. The 51,500 AF would be reduced by the 5,000 AF withheld for the conservation measures and by the 7,850 AF of Round I sales.