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APR-27-9~ THU 1~:41 UPPER COLORADO RIVER COMM P.0'3 DRAFT Mr. Chad.. A. Calhoun U. S. BurelU of Reellmation April 27. 1995 Paae 2 We Ire plealed to lee thlt rec~nded chansel to the interim flow criteria have been made a part of the final HIS. These modifications are acceptable to the ecientific inveatiaatora doina the Grand Canyon studiel and the Cooperatina Asency members and were favorably accepted by all who partici- pated in the conlultation procesa. rhe.e Chanl" are i.portant and in keepins with tha ,pirit of the Glen Ca~on Studiea effort. They mu.t be recognized aa valid and necessary and not to be implemented II soon aa pouible. A unique component of the Glen Canyon Dam Pinal HIS procell baa been the inclulion of aeveral element. common to all alternatives evaluated. Our member Stlte. remain anxioua about aoma of tbeae elementa becau.e of their potential to effect tbe future ability of Glen Ca~on Dam to meet it. autho- rizad mandatea. These elementa are flood frequencies, adaptive-manlaement flowa and beach/habitat-buildinS flowa, The flood frequency ~Iaurea beina propoaed have been (1) to limit the fillin, capacity of Lake pow.ll to create a flood pool or (2) to extend the apill.ay satel to provida .dditional capacitY to reculat. unanticipated runoff. We believe the only way to control flood frequencies and atill maintain the principal water conlervation purpo.e. for which Glen Canyon Dam waa authorized and con.tructed ia to extend the apillway aates. Extension of theae .atea could create a flood water retention pool above the top of the preaent conservation pool for u.e in further limitina flood releaaes iDto tbe Grsnd Canyon. We .tronaly .upport the Pinal EIS recommendation to extend the Ipillway aates and encourase Reclamation to proceed a. quickly a. pol.ibla. Adaptive manaaement as the recommended future proce.s of monitorins, analysis and conside~inc nece.sary.adju.tmenta to future operation of the Glen Canyon Dam Power Plant il a reasonable and potentially productiv. ~thod of inlurins the viability of future operationa at Glan Canyon. The succ..s of such a process will be dependent On the ultimate makeup of the team .embers and the willingneas of future administrationl to let the proceal dictate future direction and change.. Our member States ehould be represented on thil adaptiveODen'aement team and look forward to such participation. The common element thet is most troublina ia the recommendation to make periodic beach!habitat-buildins flows in the future. . Monitorin. of river conditions under operations .i.ilar to tho.e contained in the preferred alternative ba. shown that .ignificantly reduced river fluctuationl are causing loes of beach mate~ial. to below the now conltreined normal operatine water line. The.. flows are also causing 10.. of the benaficial warm beck- water are.. and emersent mar.h habitat created followioa the high-flow rele.... of the mid-1980's, Th. reCOlll1lendation to "periodically fix" thes. detrimental conditions with hiah releases would seem to further auppo~t the need to implement the ~.commended changes to the interim flow c~iteria for "- _0_',__ __ ..",___ ___......._..,.. _........._o.......oA An..~"o thp ;tlIt.rim flow