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<br />, <br /> <br />According to the February 2, 1998, Memorandum of Understanding <br />between the CRWCD and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USF&WS), <br />increasing the maximum pool will result in an increased annual <br />water depletion of 5,769 acre-feet, from a base of 7,716 acre- <br />feet to 13,485 acre-feet. It has been determined by the USF&WS <br />that increasing the Wolford Mountain Reservoir storage capacity <br />and depletion would result in jeopardy to endangered fish species <br />within the Colorado River, well below the Wolford Mountain <br />Reservoir. To determine the impact of the increased water <br />depletion on endangered fish species, the USF&WS prepared a Final <br />Biological Opinion for the Wolford Mountain Reservoir Project, <br />dated March 4, 1998. The Biological Opinion provides a <br />reasonable and prudent alternative that must be completed by the <br />CRWCD to avoid jeopardy. The CRWCD has entered into a Memorandum <br />of Understanding with the USF&WS, dated February 4, 1998, a~d haq <br />agreed to complete the reasonable and prudent alternative <br />summarized below: <br /> <br />The US Army Corps of Engineers published a Notice to Amend the <br />Department of the Army "404" permit and received no public <br />comment. On March 20, 1998, the Corps of Engineers approved the <br />modification of the Department of the Army permit. <br /> <br />MITIGATION AND MONITORING <br /> <br />Commitments agreed to in the February 4, 1998, Memorandum of <br />Understanding (MOU) , between the CRWCD and the USF&WS, and <br />identified within the March 4, 1998 Biological Opinion, are made <br />a part of this decision. All elements of the reasonable and <br />prudent alternative identified in the Biological Opinion and MOU <br />are required conditions of the amended right-of-way grant. In <br />summary, the CRWCD shall pay the USF&WS a depletion charge of <br />$79,670 for the project. The CRWCD shall also maintain up to <br />6,000 acre-feet, depending on reservoir inflow, as a "fish pool". <br />The CRWCD will make fish pool releases for the benefit of <br />endangered fish species downstream, in the Colorado River, when <br />instructed to do so by the USF&WS. <br /> <br />PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT <br /> <br />The CRWCD notified the public of the proposal to increase the <br />capacity of the Wolford Mountain Reservoir through the following: <br /> <br />1. Public Board Meetings of the Colorado River Water <br />Conservation District. <br />2. Newspaper articles concerning the project. <br />3. publication of the needed enlargement water right in <br />the Water Rights Resume published in Division 5. <br />4. Publication by the US Army Corps of Engineers of a <br /> <br />Page 3, COC45805 <br />