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3983 40 RUEDI DAM AND RESERVOIR, COLO. at lea.st $1 million and may maeh $3 million to $5 million. Litt.le in- format.ion is readily available to forecast future values. 'Vith future eommercial oil shale development, however, propert.y values in these reaches should increase greatly. The Corps of Engineers condueted a flood damage survey after tJle 1957 flood which reached 18,700 eubic feet per second at the Glen- wood Springs gage on the Roaring Fork River. The total damages resulting from this flood along the reaches of the Fryingpan and Roaring Fork Rivers below Ruedi Dam were estimated at $35,000. With present techniques and abilit.y to forecast snowmelt inflow, it will be possible to achieve planned e,'ac.uation of the full acti\"e storage eapaeity of Ruedi ReselToir in about 30 days. If the reser- voir is operated earefully for flood control by enlCuation of storage prior to foreeasted heavy inflow, almost complete eout.rol of snowmelt floods in the reservoir could be attained. The Corps of Engineers has estimated that. the tot.a] a,era,ge a.JUlllal future damages from uncontrolled flood in affecte,l river reaehes between Ruedi Dam and the Fryingpa.n and Grand Junction on the Colorado would amOlUlt ta at least $11>,000. Operation of Huerli Dam and Resen'oir for control of snowmelt floods will be complementary to its operation for municipal and indlL'~t.ria.l water denuLnds and would prevent from $8,000 to $15,000 of a\"erage annual flood dam- ages. For the pU'1)ose. of tlus report. a midpoint figure of $11,500 is used as a measure of aou1Ual flood control benefits. Fi-,'" a'Ild w,ildlife The effects of operation of Ruedi D,un a,nd Reservoir on fish and wildlife were e\"alllated by reconnaissance by the Burean of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife of the U.S. Fish a.nd Wildlife Ser\"ice, Al- buquerque, N. Mex., with t.he eooperat.ion of the Colorado Department of Ga.me a.nd Fish. The Burea.u's memora.ndum report dated August 26, 1959, is reproduced as appendix B of t.his report. The evaluation of the Fish and 'Yildlife Service indicates that t.he FryingpaJl River ~rovides one of the best a,nd most hClwily fished trout streams in Colorado. Fishermen enjoy many man-days each ~rear fiJ1gling on t.he 7 miles of main strea.m and tributaries of the Fryingp'lIl River and three small lakes-all within the Ruedi Reser- voil" site. The river dOwIlstrealll fronl the damsite a.lso is fished heavily. About 7 miles of the Frying-pan River and tribut.a,ries and three sma]] lakes will be inundated bv the reservoir. Aecordinl!: to a sur- vey by t,h.. Colorado D..partmmlt, of Game and Fish the trout PO!?u- lation in this reaeh is equa.l to or exceeds any similar stream sectIOn in the State. The ri,.er wit.hin the reservoir sit.e aJso contains spa.wn- ing grounds, prohably used by trout of the Roaring Fork River as well as the Fryingpa.n. AnnuaJ fishing use of Ruedi Reservoir, how- ever, is estimated at 25 fish.."nen per acre, or a total of 15,000 fish..r- man-days. The operation of Ruedi Resen'oir as planned will redllce and stabilize the flows downst.ream from the dam. The mom unifoITIl flows will improve fish habitat and provide better fishing conditions in en.rly mont.hs of the fishing season. Good habit,n.t and heavy fish- ing a1ready exists on this reach; hen('.8, increased use is estimated at about 5 percent.