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<br />- 8 - <br /> <br />Biological Opinion of the Fish and Wildlife Service, which would <br />have very serious calamitous effects on the Colorado Ute Indian <br />Water Rights Settlement and the collateral construction of the <br />~ ". , .. . . , <br />Animas-LaPlata Project. Within approximately the last month and <br />a half a number of important meetings have been held. For the most <br />part and with hindsight over all, I believe they have beeen con- <br />structive and progressive. 1 will not attempt to describe the <br />detailed discussions and negotiations of each meeting. 1 will mention <br />each with its purpose. Following the listing of the meetings, 1 will <br />attempt to describe and/or summarize some of the effects on progress. <br /> <br />On July 13 in Denver, Chips Berry, Director, Colorado Department <br />of Natural Resources, Bill McDonald and Gene Jencsok of Bill 's staff, <br />and 1 conferred with Jim Bennett and Ed Kochman of the Colorado Division <br />of wildlife. The primary purpose of the conference was to discuss the <br />probable response of the Bureau of Reclamation to the draft biological <br />opinion of the Fish and Wildlife Service that has had the effect of pre- <br />venting further construction activities on the Animas-LaPlata Project <br />because a small population of Colorado squawfish inhabits the San Juan <br />River downstream from Navajo Dam. Wildlife,officials appeared to be <br />adamant in their opinion that construction of the Animas-LaPlata Project <br />should not proceed until several years of study of the squawfhth,and the <br />San Juan River habitat have been completed. Thi~ discussion also <br />involved reviewing a draft of a letter from the Colorado DivisiDn of <br />Wildlife to:. the Bureau of Reclamation on the same subject. Ac-o'py of <br />the fin.al draft of the letter, dated July 25, 1990, is attached as <br />Appendix B. <br /> <br />On July 26, 1 conferred with Ross Bethel, hydrologist representing <br />the Southwestern Colorado Water Conservation District, in Denver pertain- <br />ing to hydrology studies of the San Juan River with special emphasis <br />