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<br />Enclosure No.1
<br />Comparison Between Mishak National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)
<br />and Russell Lakes Waterfowl Management Area.(WMA)
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<br />Acquisition, development, and operation of Russell Lakes l~, in place of the
<br />authorized Mishak NWR, have, as discussed below, several significant advantages
<br />to the Closed Basin Project and its sponsors. The project and its sponsors will
<br />also benefit monetarily since the revised Fish and Wildlife Plan (June 1981)
<br />which includes the Russell Lakes l~~ will result in a cost decrease in excess of
<br />$1 million. Since the Mlshak m~ is specificslly mentioned in the authorizing
<br />legislation (Public Law 92-514 [1972)), an amendment deleting the Mishsk NWR and
<br />inserting the proposed Russell Lakes l~ is necessary.
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<br />As originally planned, the MishakNWR was to encompass about 13,800 acres of
<br />lands with about 8,500 acres occurring outside of the designated Closed Basin
<br />Project boundaries. Of the 13,800-acre total, 10,240 acres are in private
<br />ownership while the remaining 3,560 acres are owned or administered by the
<br />Federal government or the S tate of Colorado.. Development of the Hishak NWR wili
<br />remove at least 10,240 ac,es of land from local tax rolls. The lands required
<br />for the total project wtth M!shak NWR included is 138,500 acres.
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<br />The proposed Russell Lakes l~, a9 presently conceived, would be developed on
<br />about 4,640 acres of land. Approximately 3,120 acres of land in the Russell
<br />Lakes liMA are in private ownership. The remaining 1,520 acres are under the
<br />administration of the State of Colorado. Acquisition and development of the
<br />Russell Lakes l-IMA will reduce the acreage of private lands removed from local
<br />tax rolls by 7,120 acres and will reduce the total project a,ea by 3,860 acres
<br />to about 134,640 acres.
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<br />The water supply for operation of the Mishak NWR was to be derived from surface
<br />waterflow averaging about 12,500 acre-feet annually. These surface flows were
<br />project salvage water and were to be used in management of the Mishak NWR on a
<br />one-for-one exchange basis for salvaged ground wate, with no decrease in average
<br />total water delivered to the Closed Basin Project over a period of years. In
<br />recent years, surface waterflows with the Mishak NWR area have decreased
<br />significantly, primarily due to changes in upstream irrigation methods and
<br />resulting in more efficient use of water. The 12,500 acre-feet annual water
<br />aupply is no longer available thereby making the development and operation of
<br />Mishak NWR inviable.
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<br />The water supply for the proposed Russell Lakes liMA will be obtained as existing
<br />appurtenant water rights on the 3,120 acres of land acquired from purchase of
<br />private ownerships and on the 1,520 acres of land administered by the State of
<br />Colorado. No additional wate, is needed for the successful development and
<br />operation of the Russell Lakes l~. Use of this water supply will have no
<br />effect on Closed Basin P,oject salvaged waters.
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<br />Approximately 5,000 acres of wetlands were proposed to be located on the
<br />13,800-acre l1ishak NWR. Existing wetlands in th" a,ea now total about
<br />600 acres, having about 4,400 acres of manmade wetlands to be developed. In
<br />the Russell Lakes l~, approdmately 1,900 ae,es of wetlands p,esently exist.
<br />An additional 1,100 acres of manmade wetlands will be developed in the Russell
<br />Lakes Hl.~ to reach the ,equi,ed ,,,placement of about 3,000 acres of wetlands at
<br />this location.
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