WSP05450

• File Number: 8220.114.I
• Description: Dolores Participating Project
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 2/1/1995
• Author: USDOI-BOR
• Title: Draft Environmental Assessment - Proposal to Modify Operation of McPhee Reservoir and Acquire Additional Water for Fish and Wildlife Purposes
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: EIS

CHAPTER V
CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION

A. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

.Reclamation prepared and mailed a Scoping Document (Appendix B) on April 22, 1993 to interested
individuals, organizations and agencies that may be interested in or affected by the proposed actions. The
purpose of the Scoping Document was to: (I) notify the public that Reclamation was preparing an EA for the
proposed actions; (2) solicit public comment on significant environmental issues that should be addressed in the
EA; (3) identitY potential alternative courses of action that the public believed Reclamation should consider.
Eighteen letters were received in response to the Scoping Document. Brief summaries of the comments in
response to the Scoping Document follow:

Bureau of Land Management - Reclamation's proposed action is over 19,000 acre-feet less than the
BLM's identified needs for salmonid fishery downstream from Bradfield Bridge; Questions how acquisition of
7,000 acre-feet would affect whitewater boating; The EA needs to adequately address downstream recreation
resources in addition to fish and wildlife resources.

City of Cortez - Favors exploration of alternatives for acquisitioa of additiooal water.

Colorado Division of Wildlife - Believed 36,500 acre-feet is the minimum annual reserved pool;
Believes other provisions should be made such as: (I) change in water year for accounting fish and wildlife
water to April I to March 30 (presently November I to October 31); (2) no charges to fish and wildlife pool
during spills; (3) refill fish and wildlife pool at conclusion of spills and; (4) spill management to prolong spill;
Fish and wildlife water releases should not be subjugated to operatioa of powerplant; Structural habitat
modification are not a viable alternative to acquiring additional water.

Duranglen - Supports change to managed pool; Minimum of 36,500 acre-feet should be in pool;
Fishery and business have been adversely affected since 1990; The only real habitat improvement to maintain a
quality fishery is more water.

Fossum, Hatter & Green - Supports Reclamatioa's proposal to acquire additional water; Indian and
non-Indian project water users should not solely bear the burden providing additional stream flow.

Maynes, Bradford, Shipps & Sheftel - The Interim Operating Agreement is valid only through
October 1993 (subsequently extended for six months); Noted that the amount of water to satisfy downstream
senior water rights is not fixed; The best mechanism for sharing shortages among all Project water users,
including the downstream fishery, must be studied; An alternative should be studied that includes changes to
CDO W' s fish stocking activities.

Montezuma Water Company - The Company is interested if water proposed to be acquired could
utilize Company water.

Taxpayen for the Animas River - Comment period should be increased; An EIS should be prepared;
Dam releases must be coordinated with eadangered species protection; Dolores Project was poorly designed and
built; more water released downstream should not be charged to the OM&RcoSlS charged to the District; A
mechanism should be found to allow downstream release of water; proposed water for release is inadequate for
recreational and habitat purposes; operation of McPhee Dam should be done in conjunction with examination of
reoperation of all dams in the Upper Colorado River.

43