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<br />MJ"~ uq <br />u' _..~,- <br /> <br />addressed under the Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the <br />Upper Colorado River Basin, The Program identifies actions that offset historic depletions and, <br />thus, depletion, impacts from the conveyance of water under the Carriage COIitract are not <br />considered significant. <br /> <br />Recreation and Socia/and Economic Factors-- The Carriage Contract would facilitate aI1 increase <br />in irrigated acreage in Montezuma County, thus increasing the market value of agricultural <br />production and strengthening this sector of the area's economy. Boating and fishing are <br />important recreation and economic uses on the Dolores River downstream from McPhee <br />Reservoir, Water,in excess to that needed for project reservoir filling and immediate project <br />needs, periodically "spills" from McPhee Reservoir and supports rafting. The rafting season is . <br />entirely dependent on the occurrence of spills, The 8,000 acre-feet of water involved in the <br />Carriage Contract has historically been diverted from the Dolores Basin; and during the last 10 <br />years, this OCC4ITed at least three times, In years that the water stays in the Dolores Basin, and if <br />runoff conditions cause McPhee Reservoir to spill the following spring, the water can expand the <br />spill and, thus, the rafting period (by up to 4 days). Under the proposed action, the water would <br />continue to be diverted; and this is likely to occur under the No Action: Alternative, Therefore, <br />. little or no net impact is projected. <br /> <br />Cultural Resources-- The newly irrigated lands are in an area containing numerous archeological <br />sites dating to the prehistoric and historic periods. Land disturbing activities associated with <br />distribution and use of the 8,000 acre-feet of irrigation water could affect sites, Mitigation plans <br />to be included in the Carriage Contract call for identification, avoidance where possible, and data <br />collection on sites encountered in compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act aI1d <br />with agreements with the Colorado State Historic Preservation Officer and the Advisory Council . <br />on Historic Preservation, In this manner, significant impacts on cultural resources can be <br />avoided, <br /> <br />Indian Trust Assets-- The United States has a trust responsibility to protect and maintain rights <br />reserved by or granted to American Indian tribes by treaties, stafutes, and executive orders, One <br />concern expressed during review of the draft EA was that any reduction in flows in the San Juan <br />River caused by the Carriage Contract could indirectly reduce the water supplies needed to meet <br />Indian water rights because additional waters from Navajo Reservoir would be needed for <br />endangered fish'in the San Juan River-thus reducing supplies to meet Indian water needs,. As <br />explained in the final EA, Reclamation has concluded that the proposed action would neither <br />reduce flows in the San Juan River nor make additional releases from Navajo Reservoir <br />necessary to meet flow reCOminendations for endangered fish. <br /> <br />Commitments <br />The following commitments will be included in the proposed Carriage Contract: <br />-Though any increase in selenium and salinity in return flows to the San Juan River is expected <br />to be minimal, baseline and post-irrigation monitoring will be conducted, as prescribed in the <br />Fish and Wildlife Service's 2001 Biological Opinion on the Carriage Contract. Reclamation <br /> <br />4 <br /> <br />/." <br /> <br /> <br />" <br />"t <br />'. <br /> <br />'~ <br /> <br />'oj <br />-, <br /> <br />~:li <br />J <br /> <br />, <br />, <br />~1 <br />_~i <br />..~ <br /> <br />j <br />, <br />, <br /> <br />'1 <br />-~ <br /> <br />; <br />'-~ <br /> <br />