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<br />saltbush and, at higher elevations, sagebrush. With the development of <br />irrigation in the area some natural wetlands were cleared for farms and <br />others were created as a result of irrigation. Approximately 22,000 <br />acres of wetlands ranging from saltgrass pastures and cattail marshes to <br />wetland shrubs and cottonwood woodland are found in the project area. <br /> <br />Fisheries <br /> <br />The Uncompahgre River provides poor fishery habitat because of high <br />sediment loads, mineral pollution from the headwater area, and high summer <br />temperatures. Fish species identified include dace; sculpin; flannelmouth, <br />white, and bluehead suckers; and rainbow and brown trout. The few small <br />trout found in the river indicate little natural reproduction is occurring. <br />Most of the larger trout found result from a stocking program. Releases <br />from Ridgway Reservoir of the Dallas Creek Project are expected to improve <br />water quality and temperature of the Uncompahgre River. The improved <br />quality is expected to significantly increase natural rainbow and brown <br />trout populations. <br /> <br />The upper reaches of several UncOmpahgre River tributaries support <br />cutthroat and brown trout. The lower reaches of these streams provide poor <br />fishery habitat because of irrigation diversions which severely reduce stream- <br />flows during late summer. <br /> <br />Cultural Resources <br /> <br />A survey of cultural resources in the study area has recently been <br />completed by Colorado State University and a report has been prepared. <br />If a construction plan is implemented, cultursl resources surveys of borrow <br />areas would be conducted. No indication exists that any of the candidate <br />plans would affect the area's known cultural resources. <br /> <br />000907 <br /> <br />7 <br />