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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Gunnison/3 <br />Blue Mesa Dam, with a 940,800 acre-feet capacity, was <br />completed in 1965 to store water for irrigation, recreation and <br />generation of electric power. Downstream of Blue Mesa are two more <br />federal dams: Morrow Point, a power-generation unit; and Crystal, <br />which creates power and smooths out the flows. <br />The experimental flow regime will more closely match <br />historical, pre-dam flows. <br />High spring-flows are believed to "cue" endangered fish to <br />spawn. The force of the water flushing through river channels also <br />carves out nooks and crannies or in biological terms, <br />"backwaters and side channels" -- where vulnerable young endangered <br />fish seek protection from larger predator fish. <br />changing the dams' operations and committing water for <br />endangered fish has the potential to affect hydropower production, <br />water use and Gunnison River and Blue Mesa Reservoir fishing, <br />Hamill said. <br />For example, water that will be released this spring normally <br />would have been discharged this winter, when power would be more <br />valuable. This change could affect hydropower revenues. <br />Also, high flows could make "walk-in" fishing difficult in the <br />lower Gunnison. But biological impacts to the Gold Medal trout <br />fishery downstream probably can be minimized if flows are properly <br />timed, said Colorado Division of Wildlife researcher Barry Nehring. <br /> <br />-- more -- <br />