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<br />"r. . <br />..,~t STATE OF UTAH <br />~~ NATURAL RESOURCES <br />~ Waler Resources <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Norman H. Bangerter. Governor <br />Dee C. Hansen, Executive Director <br />D. Lorry Anderson. Division Director <br /> <br />1636 Wes\ NDrth Temple' Sui\e 310. Salt Loke City. Ui B4116-3156' B01-533-5401 <br /> <br />November 9, 1987 <br /> <br />Mr. Dave Wegner <br />Glen Canyon Environmental Studies Manager <br />Post Office Box 11568 <br />Salt Lake City, Utah 84147 <br /> <br />NOV [t :21987 <br /> <br />_.'~ ~\ <br /> <br />~J \ .;~"'( <br />"T'C <br />., h ,r/ E :'.\RD <br /> <br />Dave: <br /> <br />We appreciate the time and effort expended by you and your team leaders <br />in presenting the back9round and results of the Glen Canyon Environmental <br />Studies (GeES) at the Upper eo10rado River Commission Engineering and Legal <br />Committee meeting October 22. Your explanations answered a number of <br />questions that puzzled us as we reviewed the September 1987 draft report. <br /> <br />As you stated in the meeting, the study was initiated by Secretary of <br />Interior Watt in 1983 to: (1) Quantification of impacts of Glen Canyon Dam on <br />downstream environmental uses (ex. white water rafting, trout fishing, Hump <br />Back ehub, riparian habitat etc.), and (2) identify if operational changes in <br />releases from the dam can increase the benefits of the environmental uses. <br />You emphasized the report was not a proposal for operational changes, but a <br />summary of the five year study. Since it is always useful to have objective <br />information on operational limits to potential benefits, the information <br />developed in the study will be helpful in the preparation of future <br />operational plans on the Colorado River. <br /> <br />It should be stressed, though, that the eriteria for Coordinated Long- <br />Range Operation of Colorado River Reservoirs (commonly referred to as the <br />"Operating Criteria") was not silent regarding uses of the reservoirs for <br />purposes other than water conservation and power production. Article I(l) <br />states that liThe plan of operation...sha11 reflect appropriate consideration <br />of uses of tne reservoirs for all purposes, inc1uding...water quality control, <br />recreat ion, enhancement of fish and wildl ife, and other envi ronmenta 1 factors." <br />From our perspective, past plans have reflected appropriate consideration of <br />all factors and have made an effort to balance the benefits of the project to <br />a 11 users. <br /> <br />Since we have not had an opportunity to review any of the background <br />studies (41 separate reports) which formed the basis of the draft report, we <br />cannot comment on tne technical adequacy of the study. The conclusion in the <br />GeES draft report that individual environmental features can be enhanced by <br />modifying tne dam release pattern is not surprising and cou1a have been <br />anticipated without the study. The weakness in the study is that it failed to <br />address the impacts (costs) of enhancing environmental benefits on water <br />conservation and hydropower generation, tne principal purposes for which the <br /> <br />on equal opportunity employer <br />