Laserfiche WebLink
<br />M:6n~ <br />Alternatives. Including Proposed Action <br /> <br />2-34 <br /> <br />As part of the Wetland Monitoring Plan, the Sponsors have proposed to obtain aerial <br />photographs of the river twice per year for at least the first five years of project <br />operations. Riverbank changes (widening) that have occurred during the winter and early <br />spring (when project-related flows dominate the river) will be considered attributable to <br />project operation. Changes that occur following natural spring floods or high irrigation <br />deliveries will not, however, be the Sponsors' responsibility. <br /> <br />The Sponsors will set up a maintenance fund in the form of an escrow account, <br />performance bond or other mechanism to ensure maintenance of public structures and <br />mitigation of public and private land impacts. The mechanism would require approval of <br />the COE prior to project operation. Moneys in the fund would be maintained on an <br />annual basis and adjusted for inflation. The fund would be established for protection <br />and/or replacement of fills and structures, and the reconstruction of fills, structures, <br />facilities or property damaged as a result of project implementation. The Sponsors have <br />recommended that initial funding be set at $200,000, and adjusted up or down with time, <br />as experience is gained. <br /> <br />2.4.7 <br /> <br />Endangered Species and Other Affected Wildlife <br /> <br />Reclamation has received biological opinions from the FWS on the species listed below. <br />Reclamation will coordinate with the FWS to determine if these opinions need to be <br />updated before completion of the Record of Decision. The species include: <br /> <br />. Clay-loving wild buckwheat (Eriogonum pelinophilum), a plant possibly affected by <br />penstock construction <br />. Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), a raptor possibly affected by changes in <br />Gunnison flows <br />. Razorback sucker (Xyraochen texanus), a fish possibly affected by changes in <br />Gunnison River flows <br />. Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychoecheilus lucius), a fish possibly affected by changes in <br />Gunnison flows,9 and <br />. Southwestem willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus), a bird possibly affected <br />by Uncompahgre bank erosion) <br /> <br />In all cases, the FWS concluded that the project was not likely to jeopardize the continued <br />existence of these species and was not likely to result in the destruction or adverse <br />modification of their critical habitat. Conservation recommendations to reduce impacts <br />to these species and to ensure detection of unforeseen habitat losses were presented in the <br />FWS Biological Opinion (March 28,1996) a number of conservation recommendations <br />were made. These recommendations will all be adopted and included as environmental <br />conditions in the Lease of Power Privileges. In addition to study and monitoring <br />requirements, project commitments that apply to all alternatives, include: <br /> <br />^, <br /> <br />9 <br /> <br />Formerly known as the Colorado squawfish. <br /> <br />, '~ <br /> <br />AS Lateral Hydropower Project <br /> <br />July 2000 <br /> <br />, ~<. ,.: .b-,-< <br /> <br />