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<br />. <br /> <br />~ <br />c.'J <br />W <br />0> <br /> <br />The above discussion presents costs for a habitat <br />replacement program in which values and functions of wetlands are <br />replaced in the general project area but riot on site. Potential <br />habitat replacement areas would include lands along the Gunnison <br />River between the North Fork confluence and Escalante state <br />Wildlife Area and along the Uncompahgre River between Colona and <br />Delta. Land acquisition would be limited to willing sellers <br />only. Habitat replacement areas would be at least 200 acres but <br />would not necessarily have to be larger. The study team will <br />continue to address alternatives including avoidance of impacts <br />(i.e. determine not to line certain segments of canals or <br />laterals), provide turnouts for ,cottonwood tree 'or wetland <br />maintenance, or provide incentives for on-farm~habitat <br />replacement. Recommendations will be contained 'in'the draft and <br />final FWS Fish and wildlife Coordination Reports scheduled for <br />August 1992 and January 1993. <br /> <br />Another environmental consideration'for the SO/JU Project is <br />cultural resources coordination. Several canal systems including <br />the East and South Canals are considered to be eligible to the <br />National Register of Historic Places and coordination with the <br />State Historic Preservation Officer will be required. Class III <br />(on-ground) cultural resource surveys will be required on new <br />lands to be disturbed and on habitat replacement lands. <br /> <br />. Recreation aspects of the project ,will also be addressed in <br />the final report. One major opportunity is the use of canal <br />and/or lateral lands for recreational trails. 'A trail system is <br />being developed by local and state interests along the <br />Uncompahgre River and tie-ins with this system..are possible. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Endangered species consultation wi'll be required on the <br />project--species of concern include the enda~gered clay~loving <br />wild buckwheat and two candidate plant species--the adobe <br />penstemon and the adobe desert parsley. Surveys of proj ect <br />impact areas will be required and designs will be modified to <br />avoid plant locations. Endangered Colorado River fishes will <br />also be discussed. While these fish are not present in the <br />Uncompahgre River they probably occur in the Gunnison River and <br />are present in the Colorado River. The project's effect on <br />downstream river flows, water quality, and depletions will be <br />considered. <br /> <br />V. INVESTKENT AND ANNUAL COSTS <br /> <br />Table 5 displays estimates of the total investment and <br />annual costs for each component. The investment cost includes <br />construction cost, cost of environmental mitigation, reimbursable <br />study costs and interest during construction. Interest during <br />construction was computed at 8.5% interest - the planning rate <br />for fiscal year 1992. The compound method of computing interest <br /> <br />17 <br />