Laserfiche WebLink
<br />trom: llelVlen Kaley 10: uoug KOOOUlaJll <br /> <br />lJate: 6/7/96 lime: 5:25:58 PM <br /> <br />Page 3 of7 <br /> <br />JUN-07-86 14.32 FROM. TROUT & RALEY PC <br /> <br />ID.3038324466 <br /> <br />PACE 2/6 <br /> <br />In paIticu1ar, the Fish & Wildlife Service has detennined that an additional 238,000 <br />acre feet of water, (]Vef lIIld above exi.~ng flows, is ~ssary to meet target flows <br />established for listed species in the Central Platte region. The Fish & Wildlife Service has <br />also issued a biological opinion which concludes that the continuation of an annual depletion <br />of as little as 0.7 acxe feet of water near Loveland, Colorado, Is Iik:ely tQ jeopardize the <br />continued existence of listed species 10Cllted hundreds of miles downstream in the Central <br />Platte River basin. <br /> <br />The existiJJg Land and Rcso= Management Plans ("Forest Plan(s)") for the <br />Arapaho and Roosevelt, Routt, and Medicine Bow National Forests conclude that vegetation <br />and snow management 00 these Forests could produce approximatlOly 400,000 acre feet of <br />water that would be added to t:X/~l1g flows. A $l'\#antial portion of this water will accrue <br />to the Platte River drain3ge.l Therefore, the implementation of a vegetation and snow <br />management prrigram on aD National Forest lands within the Platte River drainage can <br />produce most Of all of the 238,000 acre feet of additional water which the Fish & Wildlife <br />Service asserts Is required for recovery of the listed species.2 Moreover, vegetation and <br />snow I'llaoagement programs on National Forest lands can be Implemented without illegally <br />interfering with or taking valid existing rights to the use of water which have been <br />established in accordance with federal and state law. <br /> <br />A review of the proposed revisions to the Forest Plans for the Arapaho/Roosevelt and <br />Routt National Forests reveals that the management alternativeS prefemd by the Forest <br />Service will result In fOfest density levels which axe substantially above natural or historic <br />conditions. A similar trend exists on the Medicine Bow National Forest. It is very clear that <br />increased forest derisiti will cause a reduction in the quaniny of water which is available for <br />consUmptive and instre8m uses. Therefore, thehistDric manatement practices of the <br />National Forests lie responsible for significant redactions in streamflows, and proposed <br />man~ent practi~ will cause further reductions in streamf1ows. At:cottling to the Fish & <br />Wildlife Service, redDctions in historic flows are a major factor in the decline of the listed <br />species in the Central Platte region. <br /> <br />While CSR and its members disagroe with, and do not hereby waive the right to <br />challenge, the legal and scientific positions that underlie these conclusions, the FISh & <br /> <br />1 The zemain4et of ~ tlows wII1l<X;1UllQ !he system me- dle a:ilical hablw designated for Colorado River <br />~ fish cpecles. <br /> <br />2 The ~..~ of .. 'l'iollliOll of the ~ea%S of i7(a)(l) is DOt d~ D1l1his particular l1l1Il1ericaI <br />maI~$. 'IheFISh &: WildJigSetvioe posilion(hd-.! ckpldioasoC8$ Ualeas 0.7aae feet may cal1Se jeopardy <br />mea1lS that 1he Fozest Sc:Mce maotlmplemC;11lbcsc ,......&""'.. tt~0w4 011 III Nl!iona1 Forest lands in ~ Platte <br />basin SO loog &$ dl~ wiI1providc at!u$t 0.7 aae.kc( oCW2Ier ll1lI1IaI1y. Thfs CODd.lISiOIl wi11110l be .cccc:ted If <br />Ihe ~ce decides to issue III final form Its projlO$ed dRft Biologiw 0piD!0II wI1ic:b. addRsst:s aiIJ1ua1 dc:plelions <br />of 1= 1ha112S aae kd, 1$ it is _dl~table that vegcbllOllIlld mow 'l!"1IaV"l<!at Oll NmQlla1 Forest Jlllds i111he <br />Plane Rivu Basln will inaea$e flows by IIIlm0000t wbIc:h mbs<"'l<iaUy ill a:cess of lilY tk IIdninris 1hrcsho1d. <br /> <br />2 <br />