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<br />J>urango, Colorado
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<br />Vol. XXXIX, No. 288
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<br />25
<br />,. CENTS
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<br />,f: .. ~TUESDA y
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<br />MAY 8,1990
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<br />.1.
<br />
<br />~quawfisIirJ:epQJ;t';:;'f!eyas~tes' .A~U>
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<br />.....
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<br />Sam Maynes, attorney for .the South-
<br />western Water Conservation Di,trict,
<br />, called it a "devastating'" blow to the water
<br />project.
<br />"It will seriously jeopardize the fund-
<br />. ing," Maynes said. Tbe Animas-La Plata
<br />has been allocated $13.5 million in start-up
<br />construction funds in President Bush's
<br />budget.
<br />But CampbeU said he believes alterna-
<br />tives can found, including stocking squaw-
<br />fish from a hatchery that is growing them
<br />in New Mexico.
<br />"I don't think. it's insurmountable,".
<br />Campbell said. "The Fish and Wildlife Ser-
<br />vice hasn't worked hard enough to come
<br />up with an aJte~tive."" "
<br />
<br />He said Fish and Wildlife ()fficials indi-
<br />, cated that they couJd use some of the
<br />btidgeted $18.5 million, for continued
<br />, study of the squawfl5h. "No one has sug-
<br />gested yet" that the funding be withdrawn,
<br />Calnpbell added. ,: ~.-' I
<br />The biological opinion, which was ex-
<br />pected to be released publically this after-
<br />noon, apparently affects the entire San
<br />Juan Basin'- inclucing reservoirs at Na-
<br />vajo, VaUecito-and Lemon.
<br />"What do we do. tear them down?"
<br />Campbell asked.
<br />. The state of New Mexico offered in ja-
<br />nuary to provide 25,000 acre-feet in Na-
<br />vajo Reservoir to help cover the amount of
<br />water the Animas-La Plata would draw
<br />
<br />from those two riven, which are t.r.ibutiry
<br />to the Sanjuan. .
<br />But CampbeJl said that offer wasn't
<br />mentioned during a briefmg by Fish and
<br />Wildlife offJcials this morning in Washing-
<br />ton, D.C. .
<br />Both CampheJl and Maynes noted the
<br />irony in the Fish and Wildlife Service's con~
<br />cern for the squawftsh, because in 1962 a
<br />Fish and Wildlife biologist supervi,ed part
<br />- ofa project to poison th.e SanJuan River to
<br />kill so-called "trash" fish.
<br />More than 8,800 gallons of a poison
<br />called rotenone were dumped in the river
<br />to kill native f~ so ~t "sport" .fl5h could
<br />be introduced. - .
<br />"Now they're: telling us the damn things
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<br />are e~dangered," Campbell said.
<br />He said the reintroduction of squawfish
<br />and other native. fllh, into the San Juan
<br />couJd mean the end of quality trout fIshing
<br />there. . . '
<br />"It's .going to upset a lot of things in
<br />addition to the Animas-La ~Jata," he said.
<br />"tfther do plant squawfish iti there. that's
<br />the end of any sport Il5hing." ,'" ,:~ .
<br />Also, Campbell noted that a lengthy:
<br />study sought by the Fish and Wlldlife Ser. '
<br />vice threatens the water rights settlement
<br />negotiated in 1986 with the Southern Ute
<br />and Ute Mountain Ute tribet.
<br />The tribes agreed to drop their claims '
<br />for water in Sanjuan Basin streams in ex.
<br />, <P'- ... FISH, ..... it)
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<br />lIyllany saUd>
<br />herald City Editor
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<br />: Rare squawfl5h have 'put the Anima~-La
<br />rJata Project on the endangered list.
<br />: A biologkal opinion issued this morning
<br />by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says
<br />tha~ the 1422 million water project is likely
<br />to ~~ squawfu.h in the San Juan
<br />Jliver.
<br />Th~ Fish and Wildlife Service called for
<br />seven more years of study, according to
<br />V.S. Rep. Ben Nighthone Campbell, D-
<br />Ignacio.
<br />. In the meantime, the Fish and Wildlife
<br />Cl",:rvice could provide no alternative to
<br />.'pping the project. .
<br />
<br />(Ccm.tiauecnrom hp 1) . I,
<br />change foro water stoTed by the- :
<br />A 11 imas~La Plata Project.' The
<br />abreement has a deadline for deliv-
<br />en: of water by the year 2000.
<br />"A seven.year study plan, like
<br />I! ' Y want, would kill the nego-
<br />tiated setdement," said Campbell.
<br />The Fish and Wildlife Service
<br />and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
<br />lhe agency that would build lh~
<br />project. reopened study of the
<br />squawfish in February based on the
<br />discovery by biologists of newborn
<br />squawfish in the San Juan River in
<br />lQQ7.
<br />
<br />n 1979, the Fish and Wildltle,--;'-'"
<br />Service had concluded that the. ,',
<br />AniOlas.La Plata would not'
<br />threaten squawfl5h, which is on the
<br />{ederallist of endangered species.
<br />After the 1987 discovery, the gov..
<br />ernment agencies were force to
<br />. reassess that opinion. .lAlso f9und in the Sanjuan were
<br />razorback suckers, a native fl5h
<br />nominated for the endangeTed
<br />species list.
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