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<br />OJ.15~ <br /> <br />Alternatives, Including Proposed Action <br /> <br />2-15 <br /> <br />2.3 <br /> <br />Water Supply and Operation <br /> <br />2.3.1 <br /> <br />Water Supply Allocation <br /> <br />Under all of the feasible development alternatives, water for producing electrical energy <br />would be diverted from the Gunnison River. There would be a priority system for <br />allocating water. Irrigation and in-stream flow demands would always have priority over <br />hydropower demands. Specifically, the priority system would function as follows: <br /> <br />1. Irrigation demands would continue to be diverted, as required, up to the hydraulic <br />capacity of the Tunnel. This would be done by the UVWUA and would be <br />independent of the AB Lateral. <br />2. Hydropower diversions that would reduce streamflows downstream from the <br />Gunnison Tunnel below 300 cfs will not be allowed. This criterion will stand even if <br />the water rights utilized for such diversions are senior to the instream flow rights for <br />the Black Canyon National Park and Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area; or <br />if the water rights to the Park or Conservation Area are quantified by the court at less <br />than 300 cfs or not at all. <br />3. Hydropower diversions would honor any adjudicated Federal reserved water right for <br />the BLCA and any contract or other instrument between Reclamation and the <br />National Park Service providing for delivery of water from the Aspinall Unit to the <br />BLCA. <br />4. Hydropower diversions would be reduced to allow flushing releases3 from the <br />Aspinall Unit to reduce sediment downstream in the Gunnison River and to maintain <br />the river channel in the Black Canyon National Park and in endangered fish habitat <br />downstream. <br />5. Gunnison diversions will not reduce flows below that necessary to operate a fish <br />passage structure at the Hartland Diversion Dam, should such a structure ever be <br />built. <br />6. Remaining flow in the Gunnison River would be available for power generation, up to <br />the hydraulic capacity of the turbines. <br /> <br />To the extent possible, the Uncompahgre River would be used to meet irrigation needs <br />upstream of Montrose. These include the M&D and Loutzenhizer Canals and other <br />senior rights. When supplies from the Uncompahgre River are not adequate, the demands <br />would be met by water from the Gunnison River and conveyed through the South Canal. <br />Flows diverted through the AB Lateral facility (and subsequent hydropower generation) <br />would then be curtailed, <br /> <br />3 <br /> <br />These releases would be scheduled by Reclamation in consultation with the Colorado Division of <br />Wildlife, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service. <br /> <br />AS Lateral Hydropower Project <br /> <br />July 2000 <br /> <br />j; ,J <br />~d;j <br />