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. . GENERAL CRITERIA FOR RUEDI RELEASES 1995 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has requested an additional 10,000 acre-feet (20,000 acre-feet total) of water from Ruedi Reservoir be made available during the late summer of 1995 to supplement in the IS-Mile Reach. The Service realizes that 1995 may be a wetter than normal year based upon current hydrological conditions in the basin but those conditions could change by mid-summer. Based on above normal runoff forecasts for 1995, a flow target of 800 to 1000 cfs has been established by Service biologists. A more specific target within this range will be established based upon hydrological conditions in late July. The following criteria will guide use of water from Ruedi Reservoir for endangered fish in the IS-Mile Reach. * The 10,000 acre-feet which was reserved by the Biological Opinion for Ruedi Round II and Green Mountain Water Sales will be released first. The second 10,000 acre feet will be released once the releases under the Biological Opinion are complete. * Releases will be made between August 1 and November 1. During this period, releases will begin when the flows in the IS-mile reach drop below 700 cfs for three consecutive days. In the past, this has occurred about August 15. Releases will be halted when flow in the reach exceeds 900 cfs for three consecutive days. If the flow again falls below 700 cfs for 3 days, the Service will request additional releases. * Releases will vary between 0 and 160 cfs depending on inflow and will not cause the total flow in the Fryingpan River to exceed 250 cfs. * Releases will be monitored on a day to day basis by hydrologists from the Service, Bureau of Reclamation and the Colorado State Engineers office. This group will adjust releases on Mondays and Fridays to attempt to meet the flow targets established by the Service. The requested releases are subject to the following qualifiers: * There may be occasions when unpredictable weather conditions may cause flows to change rapidly in the IS-Mile Reach and requested flows from Ruedi may not correspond accordingly. * There may be periods when daily gage data are not available to guide releases. During these periods, the releases will be made based upon the best available data. * Releases will be halted, if necessary, to respond to emergency conditions on the river.