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<br /> <br />- ell - '-:- '-:- \o~ <br />I'II:AU OF RECLAt-AA"t <br /> <br />Western Colorado Area Office <br />Grand Junction, Colorado <br />Ken Beck (970) 385-6558 <br />For Release March 13, 2001 <br /> <br />I'ii;}, L S 2U01 <br /> <br />\J;.,~i"';";.; \ I...., ,,~\.:d <br /> <br />Bureau of Reclarnation to Hold Public Meetings on <br />Proposed Low-Flow Test in the San Juan River <br /> <br />The Bureau of Reclamation has alll10unced it will hold two public meetings in early April to <br />listen to the public's concerns and questions regarding Reclamation's plans to reduce releases <br />from Navajo Reservoir into the San Juan River. Releases will be reduced to 250 cubic feet per <br />second (cfs) for 5 to 10 days. The 250 cfs releases would be necessary during certain periods, in <br />order to meet the San Juan River Basin Recovery Program's recommended flows of500 to 1,000 <br />cfs in the endangered fishes habitat range below Shiprock, New Mexico. This would help <br />recover the endangered razorback sucker and Colorado pikemilll10w while allowing future water <br />development in the basin. <br /> <br />The public meetings will be held: <br /> <br />Wednesday, April 4, 2001, at the Farmington Civic Center, 200 West Arrington, <br />Farmington, New Mexico, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. <br /> <br />Thursday, AprilS, 2001, Desert Rose Inn, 701 West Highway 191, <br />Bluff, Utah, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. <br /> <br />The test will help determine some of the impacts low flows may have on the affected <br />environment including river recreation, trout fisheries, water quality, and on irrigation and water <br />user diversion structures. <br /> <br />At the time of the test, Reclamation normally maintains a minimwn flow of 500 cfs downstream <br />from Navajo Dam. During the short-term test, flows would be gradually reduced to 250 cfs for a <br />period of 5 to 1 0 days in late June and/or early July. (The dates for the test will be announced <br />later as they are dependent on the availability of water to meet the habitat needs of the <br />endangered fish.) <br /> <br />Reclamation will soon release an environmental assessment (EA) on the proposed low flow test <br />for public review and comment. The EA will describe the potential environmental impacts <br />associated with the test. Copies of the EA will be available by calling Ken Beck at <br />970-385-6558 or visit Reclamation's Website to view the draft at: www.uc.usbr.gov click on <br />Environmental Programs, then on the Navajo Dam and Reservoir site. <br /># # # <br />