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<br />'. <br /> <br />Page 3 <br />July 30, 1990 <br /> <br />2. Removing or modifying diversion structures that are barri- <br />ers to Colorado squawfish movement, <br /> <br />3. Modification of the Navajo Dam penstocks to alter water <br />temperature in downstream regions, <br /> <br />4. Purchase of water rights both in and out of the San Juan <br />Subbasin, <br /> <br />5. Controlling exotic fish, including halting the release of <br />popular game species such as channel catfish and trout, <br /> <br />6. Stocking hatchery-raised young Colorado squawfish. (The <br />SW District has just contributed $10,000 to the Colorado Division of <br />Wildlife to support studies by the Division on the intensive cultivation <br />of Colorado squawfish.) <br /> <br />7. Developing a San Juan River Management Plan to minimize <br />present and future conflicts between the endangered Colorado River <br />fish and water development. The management plan could have the <br />involvement of all interested parties including agencies, biologists, <br />water development interests, and environmental organizations and <br />could have biological, hydrologic and institutional (water rights and <br />compact allocations) components. <br /> <br />The Districts and the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Indian <br />Tribes, through the expertise of their consultants, remain willing to <br />assist in developing a reasonable and prudent alternative to offset <br />any impacts of the Animas-La Plata Project on the Colorado squawfish <br />and razorback sucker. <br /> <br />II. Political Overtones in Draft Biological Opinion. <br /> <br />It was the understanding of the District's Board of Directors that a <br />draft biological opinion is to be based solely on the best scientific and <br />commercial biological data available. The Boards are very concerned <br />that the tone of the Draft Biological Opinion, starting with the intro- <br />ductory paragraph on page 2, is political rather than biological. The <br />introductory paragraph states: <br /> <br />Major water developments (Navajo Dam and Reservoir, <br />Navajo Indian Irrigation Project. etc.), which have not <br />undergone Section 7 Consultation, have already occurred <br />on the San Juan River and have reduced stream flows to <br />a critical level for the endangered fish. (Emphasis in <br />the original.) <br /> <br />It seems unusual to the Districts that this introductory paragraph <br />makes reference to the fact that other projects on the San Juan River <br />