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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125.8 acres of riparian habitat. The lost wetland/riparian habitats resulting
from abandoning laterals have generally long and narrow shapes thereby
presenting more edge in relationship to the area of the habitat lost, a
valuable asset for wildlife. Approximately 19 acres of wetlands adjacent to
stockponds would be converted to upland habitat.

Three hundred ninety five acres of upland habitat will be disturbed when the
pipelines are put in. This is a one time disturbance and will be a short-term
loss.

On-farm (SCS-ASCS-landowner) actions will result in:

(1) the loss of 6,696 acres of wetlands (5,630 wetlands and 1,066
riparian),

(2) depletion of 22,460 acre-feet of water per year in the occupied
habitats in the Green River of the Colorado squawfish, bony tail
chub, humpback chub and razorback sucker,

(3) reduced stream flows in the occupied habitats of the roundtail
chub in the Price and San Rafael Rivers and Huntington, Cottonwood
and Ferron Creeks.

The underlying cause for wetland losses and streamflow depletions is the
increased efficiency in water delivery and water use. No more water will be
diverted, or used, in post-project times than in pre-project times. Leaks and
deep percolation will be eliminated when pressurized pipelines are operational
and winter water deliveries through canals are halted. Lined stocktanks will
reduce the deep percolation that previously leaked from the unlined
stockponds. Leaked and deep percolated waters that supported wetland and
riparian habitats and contributed to streamflows further down the drainage
will no longer be available for those wildlife habitats.

The improved irrigation efficiency gained by converting from flood irrigation
to sprinkler system will reduce the amount of water supporting wetlands and
deep percolation that supports wetland/riparian habitats and downstream return
flows. Sprinklers will disti ibute water more evenly over the irrigated fields
that in turn will support more plants per unit area, increasing the number of
plants per field. The additional plants will increase the amount of water
lost through evaporation and transpiration. Even distribution of water will
also reduce rapid runoff and avoid ponding that results in less water being
available to support wetlands, deep percolation, and downstream flows.

The effects of average annual depletion of 25,310 acre-feet in the occupied
habitats in the Green River of the Colorado squawfish, bony tail chub, humpback
chub and razorback sucker are addressed in a separate biological opinion,
included as Appendix 8 of this report.

The roundtail chub occurs in Cottonwood, Ferron and Huntington Creeks and the
Price and San Rafael Rivers. Little is known about the habitat requirements
of this species, especially in streams tributary to the Green River. One of
the concerns for the endangered humpback chub and bony tail chub is loss of .
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