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<br />CHAPTER 4 - CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION <br /> <br />Develooment of Draft Environmental Assessment <br /> <br />Fish passage at the Redlands Diversion Dam has been studied for many years. Wiltzius (1978) <br />believed that the Redlands Diversion Dam reduced Colorado squawfIsh numbers in the.Gunnison <br />River by preventing upstream movement from the Colorado River. In 1986, the U.S. Army <br />Corps of Engineers published a study, "Redlands Dam Fishway Feasibility Study" that examined <br />alternatives for providing fish passage. FERC granted exemption from licensing for the <br />Redlands Water and Power Company in 1983, and as part of this exemption, required <br />compliance with any terms and conditions that Federal or State fish and wildlife agencies <br />determined appropriate to prevent loss of, or damage to, fish and wildlife resources. These <br />conditions included allowing construction and operation of a fish passageway. <br /> <br />The 1993 "Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper <br />Colorado River Basin" published by the Fish and Wildlife Service stated that recovery efforts <br />on the Gunnison River would focus on providing fish passage at the Redlands Diversion Dam, <br />providing better flow/habitat conditions by water releases from the Aspinall Unit, and restoring <br />bottomland habitats along the river. <br /> <br />Since 1992, a variety of public meetings have been held on Gunnison River activities. <br />Discussions at these meetings centered on operations of the Aspinall Unit to meet various needs <br />and on endangered fish progIams. A common concern heanl from the public at these meetings <br />was that the benefits (environmental, recreational, agricultural, economic, fish and wildlife) that <br />are occurring from present Gunnison River operations should not be lost or reduced by new <br />programs. Also in 1992, Reclamation began conducting Aspinall Unit operation meetings <br />involving a variety of agencies and organizations. Feedback on the effects of operations has been <br />obtained through these meetings. <br /> <br />Negotiations on the interim water contract began in 1994 and have been open to the public. In <br />June 1994, three public meetings were held in Delta, Gunnison, and Grand Junction to discuss <br />the fish passageway and the interim water agreement. Nearly 300 citizens attended these <br />meetings. A summary (Reclamation, 1994) of the meetings was sent to attendees in July 1994; <br />it can be obtained from Reclamation in Grand Junction. A few of the issues raised at these <br />meetings follow. <br /> <br />COMPACT ENTITLEMENT--How does providing water under the interim agreement for <br />endangered fish affect Colorado's ability to fully develop its compact apportioned water? <br /> <br />The temporary water agreement will use water already set aside for endangered fish. The <br />State of Colorado intends to fully develop its share of water under the compact, and the <br />purpose of the Recovery Program--recovering endangered fish while allowing continued <br /> <br />39 <br />