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<br />v- <br /> <br />.,. <br /> <br />""\"'- <br />".'.' <br /><""j',! <br />.,~.' '~ <br /> <br />,'.q <br />,t;~ <br /> <br />Bureau of Reclamation .. <br />; ;~Ii &. WILDLIFE <br />ENI1,HiCq~EfIT <br />.. , ....[~ I I <br /> <br />News Release IMR I D 92 <br /> <br />Upper Colorado Region <br /> <br />....... ....... <br />~.....~.....~ <br />~ ....... ...... <br /> <br />Salt Lake City, Utah <br />Barry D. Wirth (801) 524-5403 <br />For Release February 26, 1992 <br /> <br /> <br />RECLAMATION RECEIVES DRAFT BIOLOGICAL OPINION <br />FOR OPERATION OF FLAMING GORGE DAM FROM U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE <br /> <br />A draft biological opinion which contains a reasonable and prudent <br /> <br />alternative for the operation of Flaming Gorge Dam has been received by the <br /> <br />Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation). The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) <br /> <br />issued the draft opinion under the authority of Section 7 of the Endangered <br /> <br />Species Act. <br /> <br />Reclamation and the Western Area Power Administration (Western), a party <br />to the consultation, have worked with the Service in the development of the <br />alternative. The Service believes, based upon the best scientific and <br />commercial information currently available, that implementation of all the <br />following elements will avoid the likelihood of jeopardizing the continued <br />exi stence of the endangered Colorado squawfi sh, humpback chub, bonyta il chub, <br />and razorback sucker. <br /> <br />1. Reclamation agreed to modify the operation of Flaming Gorge Dam so that <br />flow and temperature regimes of the Green River will more closely resemble <br />natural conditions. <br /> <br />During the spring, releases from Flaming Gorge Dam will be patterned after <br />spring flows of the Yampa River. Flaming Gorge releases will be gradually <br />increased each year between April 1 and May 15 so that they will coincide with <br />the peak run-off from. the Yampa River to produce conditions at Jensen, Utah, <br />thought to benefit the endangered fishes. <br /> <br />Summer and fall flows on the Green River will decrease to between 1,100 and <br />1,800 cfs at Jensen, Utah. Releases from Flaming Gorge beginning July 1 and <br />continuing until November 1 will be of the warmest water available using the <br />selective temperature withdrawal structure. <br /> <br />Winter flows, occurring after November 1, will be stabilized, if possible, <br />once ice cover forms and remain through normal spring breakup.. However, this <br />period of time will primarily be used to manage Flaming Gorge storage to <br />ensure that flows needed for the spring peak and summer low period will be <br />available. <br />