WSP01170

• File Number: 8277.500.10
• Description: Price and San Rafael Basin Unit - Colorado River Water Quality Improvement Program
• State: UT
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/1992
• Title: A Fish and Wildlife Coordnation Act Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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17
FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES WITH THE PROJECT

The Prel iminary Environmental Assessment, Price - San Rafael River Basin,
Salinity Control Program (SCS 1989) presented four alternatives with wide
ranging environmental impacts. The following impact analysis evaluates only
the "resource protection (RP) alternative" (identified in enclosures to a
September 13, 1989 letter from Frank Holt, State Conservationist as the
selected plan). If the selected plan is modified or changed in any way which
affects fish and wildlife resources, this analysis and the subsequent
recommendations would need to be updated.

The project will cause significant impacts to fish and wildlife habitats both
in and out of the project area. Those impacts will cause wildlife population
losses and reduce the recreation and income that the affected species
generate. Project completion will:

(1) cause the loss of 6,926 acres of wetland and riparian habitats and
their dependent wildlife,

(2) reduce streamflow in the habitats of the roundtail chub (Gila
robusta), a native Utah Wildlife Species of Special Concern, in
the Price and San Rafael Rivers, and Huntington, Ferron, and
Cottonwood Creeks,

(3) reduce streamflow by 25,310 acre feet per year in the occupied
habitats of the Green River of the endangered Colorado squawfish,
bony tail chub, humpback chub and razorback sucker,

(4) disturb 395 acres of upland habitat when the pipelines are put in.
This is a one time disturbance and will be a short-term loss.

The off-farm (Reclamation) and on-farm (SCS-ASCS-landowner) actions will
contribute unevenly to the overall project impacts; therefore, project impacts
caused by each are discussed separately.

Off-Farm (Reclamation) actions will result in:

(I) the loss of 71 acres of wetlands and 159 acres of riparian
habitats,

(2) depletion of 2,850 acre feet of water in the occupied habitats in
the Green River of the Colorado squawfish, bony tail chub, humpback
chub and razorback sucker, and in occupied habitats of the
roundta i 1 chub in the Pri ce and San Ra fae 1 Ri vers and Huntington,
Ferron and Cottonwood Creeks,

(3) short term loss of 395 acres of upland habitat.

Replacing 53.4 miles of off-farm laterals with a pressurized pipeline will
cause the loss of 40.3 acres of wetland and 33 acres of riparian habitats in
the Price River basin, whi12 replacing 57.1 miles of laterals and 6.8 miles of
the Cottonwood Creek Canal will cause the loss of 11.5 acres of wetlan?f, apc+.:.,..,
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