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<br />~) <br />c~ <br />~ <br />.~1 <br />;.:/ <br />~ <br /> <br />Colonel John N Reese <br /> <br />27 <br /> <br />D R AFT <br /> <br />Engineers must reinitiate formal consultation with the Service and provide <br />detailed circumstances surrounding the take. <br /> <br />CONCLUSION <br /> <br />This concludes the Service's biological opinion on the impacts of the <br />proposed Project. The Service has determined that the effect of the water <br />depletion is to jeopardize the Colorado squawfish and razorback sucker and to <br />adversely modify critical habitat. A reasonable and prudent alternative which <br />offsets jeopardy to the Colorado squawfish and razorback sucker and adverse <br />modification of their critical habitat has been identified as a result of this <br />consultation. <br /> <br />The reasonable and prudent alternative includes: (1) the Red Mesa Reservoir <br />Enlargement Project involving an additional annual depletion of no more than <br />997 acre-feet, and (2) the funding of the lining, operation, and maintenance <br />of a pond at the Wahweap State Fish Hatchery in Utah for the purpose of <br />raising endangered fish for stocking in the San Juan River. <br /> <br />This opinion was based upon the information described herein. If new <br />information becomes available. new species listed, incidental take of the <br />listed fishes occur, or should there be any changes in the total average <br />annual amount of water depleted by this Project (2,199 acre-feet per year) or <br />any other Project change which alters the operation of the Project from that <br />which is described in your correspondence and which may affect any endangered <br />or threatened species in a manner or to an extent not considered in this <br />biological opinion (see 50 CFR 402.16), formal section 7 consultation should <br />be reinitiated. The Corps of Engineers should condition its approval <br />documents to retain jurisdiction should section 7 consultation need to be <br />reinitiated. <br /> <br />Thank you for your cooperation in the formulation of this opinion and your <br />interest in conserving endangered species. <br /> <br />Sincerely, <br /> <br />Regional Director <br /> <br />cc: COE, Grand Junction <br />CDOW, Grand Junction <br />FWS/ES, Grand Junction <br />FWS/ES, Golden <br />FWS/ES, Albuquerque <br />FWS/COKANUT, Denver (Attn: Wayne Wathen) <br />UDOWR, Salt Lake City (Attn: Leo Lentsch) <br />Red Mesa Ward Reservoir & Ditch Company, Hesperus <br />Harris Water Engineering, Inc., Durango <br />