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<br />- lW7\ <br />~ a 5 <br />..~ ". .:: <br /> <br />United States. <br />Department of <br />Agriculture <br /> <br />. ..r. <br />F st <br />Service <br /> <br />~- <br /> <br />White River <br />National <br />Forest <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />~~~ <br /> <br />P.O. Box 948 <br />Glenvood Springs, <br />Colorado 81602 <br />303 945-2521 <br /> <br />1950-4 .6Ep <br />, '110 <br />September 6, 1989 <br />saPRIS RANGER DISTRICT <br /> <br />.' <br /> <br />Reply to: <br /> <br />Date: <br /> <br />Mr. A. Jack Garner~ Acting Project Manager <br />Bureau of Reclamation, Eastern Colorado Projects Office <br />P.o. Box 449 <br />Loveland, Colorado 80839 <br /> <br />Inl. Act. Inln. Act. <br />~am~p.1 ___Zonpfnf,._ <br />R&W Assl. __.A~5t. fup,._ <br />~~". __l"~ 'O!fh._ <br />_l,~no~Sflt~(.___!::n~, fcch._ <br />_llec..flJf __S,$S <br />_Timber fOf.__Pers. C1cf"- <br />_F. ret:h. __Recep _ <br />_Hee. lech. _ <br /> <br />Dear Mr. Garner: <br /> <br />We have reviewed the Final Supplemental Environmental Statement (FSES) for the <br />Ruedi Reservoir Round II Water Marketing Program. The FSES evaluated potential <br />impacts to fish, wildlife, and recreation on Ruedi Reservoir and the Fryingpan <br />and Roaring Fork Rivers resulting from the three alternatives. <br /> <br />Both the Preferred Alternative and the Preferred Alternative with Conservation <br />Measures will result in significant long-term adverse impacts to recreational <br />based activities on Ruedi Reservoir and fish habitats in both Ruedi and the <br />Fryingpan River. Our specific comments are as follows: <br /> <br />1. Recreation <br /> <br />Under tbe Preferred Alternative tbe maximum quantity of water released <br />from Ruedi Reservoir to meet contractual obligations would be 51,500 AF with a <br />maximum drawdown from July I-September 1 of 20 feet in elevation during a dry <br />year. This is equivalent to a 98-acre loss in pool area during this time <br />period. Referring to Table 2.1, the probability of having a reservoir pool <br />less than 85,000 AF (we recOIDmended 86,000 AF in our letter of March 8, 1988) <br />in a dry year is 25 percent. During periods of drought, the probability of <br />Ruedi being below 85,000 AF would significantly increase. In addition, <br />predictions of global warming may increase the frequency of dought periodS. <br />This scenario will result in significant adverse impacts to Forest Service <br />recreational development at Ruedi and will severely limit existing recreational <br />opportunities which continue to mid-September. As public recreation is <br />recognized under the Operational Program for the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, <br />impacts must be mitigated to a level of insignificance. <br /> <br />However, adverse impacts to recreation will be difficult to mitigate <br />as the Bureau is anticipating that all 51,500 AF of water available for sale <br />will end up being requested during the April-October time period by domestic/ <br />municipal and industrial contractors. We recommend that the Bureau withhold <br />sufficient water from Round II to maintain 86,000 AF in Ruedi Reservoir from <br /> <br />m <br /> <br />Caring for the land and Serving People <br /> <br />FS.6200-28(7.821 <br />