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<br />. <br /> <br />Turbidity, plus tbe h'''ilvlly mineralized water are expected to he the <br />prtmary factors ~Jhich c,",ld retard prim'-lr'y hiolo,;ie'il product Ion and also <br />secondary inverLebratl' and vertebrate prmluc.tion. necause of the predicted <br />moderate biological productivity of the reservoir the sport fishery - trout - <br />'JOuld need to be sustained by an annual program of planting c"tchable and/or <br />subcatchable trout. This type of fish stocking program, especially planting <br />catchable trout, is considered costry and because of the recommendations <br />of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that the stocking costs could not <br />be justified by the proj ected benefits, the Bureau has not considered .a <br />reservoir sport fishery ~n the plans for Ridgway Reservoii. This, however, <br />does not eliminate a reservoir fishery and it is expected that the Colorado <br />Division of Wildlife will investigate the feasibility of stocking Ridgway <br />Reservoir by actual planting of various sizes of fish and documenting the <br />success Or failure. . <br /> <br />Municipal and Industrial Use <br /> <br />The nureau of Reclamation believes that impounded ,cater from Ridgway <br />Reservoir ."ill meet State drinking "ater standards, However, because of <br />limited water quality data for the Uncompahgre River in the reservoir area <br />and the lack of available related past impoundment data on similar "aters, , <br />no absolute predictions, could be made on the "ater quality of Ridg"ay 'j! <br />Reservoir, Because of this, the Bureau of Reclamation bas initiated the <br />water quality monitoring program mentioned earlier and in addition has i <br />obtained a "ate.r exchange agreement to assure that water of adequate quality', <br />will be provided to the water users should the "ater quality from the Ii <br />reservoir fail to meet State drinking water standards or prove too expensive, <br />to treat. <br /> <br />The water exchange agreement consists of a.-Si~ed co_ntract .bet"een the <br />-~--...~- - ----..-. "--, <br />Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association and Tri-County Water Conservancy <br />Dis~rict whereby these parties agree to exchange "ater diverted from the <br />Gunnison River for a like amount of "ater from Ridg"ayReservoir. This <br />would allo" water from the Gunnison River to be utilized for project M&I <br />purposes because fo its higher quality, convenience of delivery, and <br />economics in processing. <br /> <br />404 Pennit <br /> <br />The Bor<:>au of Reclamation has b",en informally advised by the <br />Environmental Protection Agency that they "ill recomrn<:>ud that a Corps of <br />'Engineers 404 disch:lCge permit be granted for construction of the Dallas <br />Creek Project. The Bureau understands that the issuance of the permit will <br />be subject to the follm,ing conditions: <br /> <br />1. Establishment of a water quality monItoring program wIth EPA which <br />wIll continue through all phC'lses of construction and filling of <br />RIdgway Reservoir. <br />Note: ^ water quality monitoring program began in January 1977 <br />in cooperat.ion lJith ErA. <br /> <br />6 <br />