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1998 report to the Rio Grande Compact Commission Bureau of Reclamation ,. ~ ~ and data gathering are being closely monitored in these five wells. Data gathering to better understand the nature and extend of the biofouling has also continued. ~I' .. At the November 16, 1998 meeting of the Closed Basin Operating Committee, it was recommended that the project be operated at maximum production levels for winter time conditions for all stages of the project with exception of those areas along the west boundary in Stages 4 and 5. It was recommended that well production in these areas be limited to maintenance levels. ~.:: ",' As of December 7, 1998, 34 of the production wells in Stages 3, 4 and 5 of the Closed Basin were incorporated into a biweekly rotation program. During each period, half of the wells are on and the other half are off, resulting in seventeen wells being out of production at anyone time. This operational change was based on the recommendation of the November 16, 1998 Operating Committee meeting. .' ~~: Maintenance I r.~~ I ;jl 't Routine preventive maintenance and repair activities continued at salvage and elevation well sites, canal structures, pumping plants, shelter belts, and on vehicles and heavy equipment. Other work included the installation of five new electrical service locations along the canal, aquatic and noxious weed control, rodent control, and ice removal. 'J' '(~ i:i. ~> < ~~ Excessive algae growth along the canal continues to be a problem. The algae has been identified as a blue-green algae called Oscillatoria (non-branching filamentous algae). A chemical treatment to control algae has been identified. Treatment could begin as early as June 1998. ,~: I ;:;~ ! Problems continue with poor health conditions of the grass carp, which are used to control aquatic weed growth in the canal system. Supersaturation levels of dissolved nitrogen in the canal are a serious threat to the success of the grass carp program. Extensive measures are being executed to reduce this nitrogen content and it appears that a solution to the problem is on the horizon. Pumping water into the air is reducing dissolved nitrogen to tolerable levels. This extreme dissolved nitrogen condition is only present in the northern half of the canal and may be the reason that grass carp insist on migrating to the overcrowded southern end of the canal and allowing aquatic weeds to thrive in areas vacated by these fish. To prevent the movement of the fish to the southern end of the canal, additional drum screen fish barriers are being installed. These barriers, along with more favorable water quality conditions, should improve the situation. ~~ .~r p,;;' ", ~~ i,:.~ ~~ ....J ~'~ " -4-