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<br />"\ <br /> <br />including portions of the Blanca Wildlife Habitat Area, if <br /> <br />cons~ructed as plsnned; and mitigation could be provided in the <br /> <br />form of increased water supply to the area. The maximum water <br /> <br />~hich ~ould likely be available to Blanca would be about 1000 <br /> <br />acre-feet per year. but it is conceivable that up to 3,300 acre- <br /> <br />feet would ultimately be available. <br /> <br />Present and potential management problems ~hich must be <br /> <br />addressed in the HMP include the following: <br /> <br />1.) Insufficient water for optimum development. Studies com- <br /> <br />pleted by the U.S. Geological Survey indicate that the <br /> <br />confined (artesian) gl:'ound water a"uifers in the "Closed <br /> <br />Basin" portion of the San Luia Valley are tl:'ibutary to the. <br /> <br />o. <br /> <br />J <br /> <br />Conejos Rivel:' and thel:'efol:'e the Rio Gl:'ande thl:'ough sevel:'al <br /> <br />lal:'ge spl:'ings. The State Engineel:' of the Colol:'ado Division <br /> <br />of Watel:' Resoul:'ces has denied all applications fol:' new <br /> <br />sl:'tesian ~ells on the basis thst all water l:'ights on the <br /> <br />Rio Grande al:'e fully obligated. Watel:' is available fl:'om <br /> <br />the unconfined s"uifel:', but this must be pumped to the <br /> <br />sUl:'face making it expensive. <br /> <br />2.) Public use.of the WHA is significantly l:'educing its <br /> <br />potentisl fol:' use by watel:'fowl and othel:' mobile wildlife. <br /> <br />This problem has been mostly solved during the wetel:'fowl <br /> <br />neating sesson by closing the al:'ea to public use fl:'om <br /> <br />Mal:'ch 15 to July 1 each yeal:'. <br /> <br />Howevel:' , it may be necessary to extend the nesting season <br /> <br />. <br />j <br /> <br />-27- <br /> <br />(;C2729 <br /> <br />10115 <br />