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~l - B-l ,- ~ . . . ~, I 3 BIOLOGICAL OPINION Based upon the best scientific and commercial information that is currently available, the Ruedi Reservoir Round II Water Marketing Program and Green Mountain Reservoir Water Marketing Program, as described below, are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the Colorado squawfish (Ptvchocheilus lucius), the bony tail chub (Gila eleqans), and humpback chub (Gila ~). This opinion is based upon conservation measures that Reclamation has agreed to and incorporated into their project description. These conservation measures, which include additional research on listed species, and the storage, release, and delivery of instream flows from Ruedi Reservoir to occupied endangered fish habitat below Palisade, Colorado, will offset project impacts and will improve the likelihood of the survival and recovery of the listed species. PROJECT DESCRIPTION Ruedi Round II Water Marketinq Proqram The water marketing information presented in this section was obtained from the biological assessment (Reclamation, 1984) and from supplemental data received from Reclamation, including updated hydrology data dated April 22, 1986. The supplemental hydrology data included refinements by Reclamation to better reflect historical and projected winter reservoir operations. The hydrology data was also adjusted to properly reflect the application of the 15- to 30-percent shortage criteria to water deliveries under a dry year condition. These refinements and corrections in the hydrology study reduced the marketable water yield of the preferred alternative from 52,730 acre feet (af) to 44,700 af per calender year. Reclamation also provided data on the effects of flows released as a result of the conservation measures described herein on flows at the mouth of the Roaring Fork River. A first round of water sales from Ruedi Reservoir amounting to a total of 7,850 af per year was executed on May 13, 1982. The impacts of this sale to listed Colorado River fishes were evaluated in a previous biological opinion dated March 18, 1982. Since that time, Reclamation has received additional requests for a second round of water sales. The draft supplement to the final Environmental Impact Statement (Reclamation 1983) addresses the environmental implications associated with Round II water sales. Water will be conveyed from the Ruedi Reservoir in the natural channels of the Fryingpan, Roaring Fork, and Colorado Rivers to the points of diversion along the Colorado River downstream from Ruedi Reservoir. It is believed that the majority of proposed diversion points for purchased water will occur upstream from Palisade, Colorado, although some successful bidders may have their point of diversion within Colorado squawfish habitat areas. No additional facilities will be constructed by Reclamation for the preferred alternative in the Environmental Impact Statement. Preliminary requests for Ruedi water indicate that approximately 20 percent of the water demand will come from municipal users and 80 percent will come from industrial users, primarily energy companies. The demands are expected to