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May 6, 1992 . z RECOVERY PRffiRAM FOR ~ ~ 1HE ENDANGERED FISHES ~ ~ ~ OF 1HE UPPER COIORAID rn ~ Denver, CO 80216 . (303) 291-746~ ~ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEAS't') ~ Centact: Cennie Yeung 8l (303) 291-7468 c/o Colorado Division 01 Wildlffe . 6060 Broadway NEWS RELEASE GUMNISON RIVER FLOWS ALTERED TO TEST EFFECTS ON ENDANGERED FISH The Gunnisen River, tamed nearly 30 years age by Blue Mesa Dam, has begun walking en a mere wild side. On Menday (May 11), the Bureau ef Reclamatien will begin gradually increasing releases frem Blue Mesa and Crystal dams, in seuthwest Celerade, to. reach a 3,000 cubic-feet-per-secend peak in the Black Can yen ef the Gunnisen Natienal Menument by the merning ef May 14. These releases will allew researchers to. begin a five- year study en the higher flews' effects en endangered fish belew in the Gunnisen and Celerade rivers. Current flews threugh the Black Canyen are at 350 CFS. Once the 3,OOO-CFS peak is reached, it will be maintained frem May 14 until the merning ef May 16, then reduced by 250 CFS per day ever a nine-day peried back to. 800'CFS by May 24. Previeusly, during years ef average runeff, May flews have been kept at abeut 1,000 CFS and during lew-runeff years abeut 300 CFS. Fer this June and July, the Bureau ef Reclamatien plans to. keep flews at 800 CFS. "The questien is how much wat-er sheuld be set aside fer endangered fish and hew much fer ether purpeses ," said Jehn Hamill, directer ef the Recevery pregram fer Endangered Fish ef the Upper Celerade River Basin. "The five-year study sheuld tell us hew much water the fish need." , -- mere -- ~~ o Iii ex> - US < ~S