[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 21, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2943-2945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-1171]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Reservoir Operations To Benefit Endangered Fishes in the Gunnison 
and Colorado Rivers, Aspinall Unit, Colorado River Storage Project, 
Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement and announcement of public scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) intends to 
prepare a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) to describe 
potential effects of operational changes for the Aspinall Unit that are 
related to compliance with the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 
Reclamation is the lead Federal agency for NEPA compliance for the 
proposed Federal action.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: To receive input from interested agencies, 
organizations, and individuals, public scoping meetings will be held in 
Gunnison, Delta, and Grand Junction, Colorado. Scoping is an early and 
public process for determining the issues to be addressed and for 
identifying any significant issues and suggested alternatives related 
to the proposed Federal action. The scoping period will be open from 
January 21, 2004 to March 15, 2004. Public scoping meetings will be 
held at the following times and locations:
    [sbull] February 24, 2004-6:30 to 9 p.m., Gunnison County 
Multipurpose Building (Fairgrounds), 275 South Spruce Street, Gunnison, 
Colorado.
    [sbull] February 25, 2004-6:30 to 9 p.m., Delta Middle School 
Auditorium, 822 Grand Avenue, Delta, Colorado.
    [sbull] February 26, 2004-6:30 to 9 p.m., Mesa State College, Liff 
Auditorium, 12th and Elm Street, Grand Junction, Colorado.
    Reclamation also invites written comments during the scoping 
period. Written comments regarding the scope and content of the draft 
EIS should be sent directly to Ed Warner, Bureau of

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Reclamation, Western Colorado Area Office, 2764 Compass Drive, Suite 
106, Grand Junction, Colorado 81506; telephone (970) 248-0654; faxogram 
(970) 248-0601; or e-mail: [email protected]. Written comments 
should be received no later than March 15, 2004, to be most effectively 
considered.
    Those not desiring to submit comments or suggestions at this time, 
but who would like to receive a copy of the draft EIS, should contact 
Ed Warner at the above address or send an e-mail request to 
[email protected]. When the draft EIS is complete, its 
availability will be announced in the Federal Register, in the local 
news media, and through direct contact with interested parties. 
Comments will be solicited on the draft document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ed Warner, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Western Colorado Area Office, 2764 Compass Drive, Suite 106, Grand 
Junction, Colorado 81506; telephone (970) 248-0654; e-mail: 
[email protected]; or Steve McCall, Bureau of Reclamation, Western 
Colorado Area Office, 2764 Compass Drive, Suite 106, Grand Junction, 
Colorado 81506; telephone (970) 248-0638; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of Reclamation's proposed action 
is to operate the Aspinall Unit to avoid jeopardy to endangered species 
while maintaining the congressionally authorized Unit purposes. 
Alternative operations will be considered. Authorized purposes include 
(1) Regulating the flow of the Colorado River, (2) storing water for 
beneficial consumptive use, (3) providing for the reclamation of arid 
and semi-arid land, (4) providing for the generation of hydroelectric 
power, (5) providing for fish and wildlife enhancement and public 
recreation, (6) providing for the control of floods, and (7) allowing 
the Upper Basin States to develop Colorado River Compact apportioned 
waters.
    The Aspinall Unit is located on the Gunnison River in Gunnison and 
Montrose Counties, Colorado, and consists of Blue Mesa, Morrow Point 
and Crystal Reservoirs, Dams, and Powerplants. Blue Mesa Reservoir is 
the most upstream reservoir and is the largest reservoir in Colorado. 
Blue Mesa and Morrow Point Reservoirs currently operate to meet peaking 
power demands for the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP). Crystal 
Reservoir, the most downstream reservoir, is operated to regulate flows 
in the Gunnison River.

Flow Recommendations

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) published flow 
recommendations entitled Flow Recommendations to Benefit Endangered 
Fishes in the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers in July 2003. In general, 
the flow recommendations call for higher flows in the spring and 
moderate baseflows the remainder of the year. Reclamation will develop 
alternatives to address the Service's flow recommendations. These 
alternatives will be the basis of analysis for this EIS. Copies of the 
flow recommendations are available on the Internet at http://www.r6.fws.gov/crrip/doc/GunnCoflowrec.pdf.

Aspinall Unit and the Colorado River Storage Project

    The Aspinall Unit was authorized in 1956 as part of the CRSP. The 
CRSP provides for comprehensive development of the Upper Colorado River 
Basin by furnishing the long-term water storage needed to permit states 
in the Upper Basin to meet their flow obligation at Lee Ferry, Arizona, 
as defined in the Colorado River Compact, and still utilize their 
apportioned water. The CRSP includes four storage units: Glen Canyon on 
the Colorado River, Flaming Gorge on the Green River, Navajo on the San 
Juan River, and Aspinall on the Gunnison River. The reservoirs formed 
by the four units of the CRSP have a total capacity of nearly 34 
million acre-feet.
    Reclamation is required to comply with the ESA for operations of 
CRSP facilities, including the Aspinall Unit. Within the exercise of 
its discretionary authority, Reclamation must avoid jeopardizing the 
continued existence of listed species and destroying or adversely 
modifying designated critical habitat.
    The Aspinall Unit was constructed between 1963 and 1977 and 
consists of a series of three dams and reservoirs (Blue Mesa, Morrow 
Point, and Crystal) along a 40-mile reach of the Gunnison River. 
Primary water storage occurs in the uppermost and largest reservoir, 
Blue Mesa. Powerplants at Blue Mesa and Morrow Point are operated on a 
peaking basis, while the dam and powerplant at Crystal are operated to 
regulate downstream flows. Since 1965, recreational development and use 
of lands associated with the Aspinall Unit has been managed by the 
National Park Service as the Curecanti Recreation Area. The Western 
Area Power Administration markets hydropower from the Aspinall Unit. 
Fish and wildlife facilities, including wildlife areas and fishing 
easements, are managed by other agencies.
    Reclamation operates the Aspinall Unit within certain sideboards 
including annual hydrologic conditions, senior water rights, minimum 
downstream flow requirements, powerplant and outlet capacities, 
reservoir elevation targets, fishery management recommendations, and 
others. Some sideboards can be considered mandates, such as honoring 
senior water rights and flood control, while others, such as reservoir 
elevation criteria to reduce landslides, are given a high priority. To 
conserve water for later use, an operational target is to fill Blue 
Mesa Reservoir by the end of July. Another operational target is to 
draw Blue Mesa Reservoir down to an elevation of 7,490 feet by December 
31 to provide space for the next spring's runoff, and to avoid ice 
damage upstream. In general, operation of the Aspinall Unit has reduced 
downstream spring peak flows and increased flows during the remainder 
of the year.
    The Aspinall Unit was largely completed prior to passage of the 
Endangered Species Act in 1973. Operation of the Unit, which is located 
upstream from historical habitat of four endangered fish species, 
changed the flow regime of the lower Gunnison and Colorado Rivers 
within what is now critical habitat for the Colorado pikeminnow, 
razorback sucker, humpback chub, and bonytail. ESA consultation on the 
operation of the Aspinall Unit will be completed concurrently with the 
EIS process.

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program

    Since 1988, Reclamation and the Upper Colorado River Endangered 
Fish Recovery Program (Recovery Program) have worked together to 
address upper Colorado River water issues. The Recovery Program is a 
partnership created to recover the endangered Colorado pikeminnow, 
razorback sucker, humpback chub, and bonytail while allowing for 
continued and future water development. The Recovery Program was 
initiated in 1988 when a cooperative agreement was signed by the 
Governors of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming; the Secretary of the 
Interior; and the Administrator of the Western Area Power 
Administration. Recovery Program partners include the Colorado River 
Energy Distributors Association, Colorado Water Congress, Western 
Resource Advocates, State of Colorado, State of Utah, State of Wyoming, 
The Nature Conservancy, Reclamation, the Service, National Park 
Service, Utah Water Users Association, Western Area

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Power Administration, and Wyoming Water Association.

Public Disclosure

    It is our practice to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review. Individual 
respondents may request that we withhold their home address from public 
disclosure, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. There 
also may be circumstances in which we would withhold a respondent's 
identify from public disclosure, as allowable by law. If you wish us to 
withhold your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at 
the beginning of your comment. We will make all submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, available for public disclosure in their entirety.

    Dated: January 14, 2004.
Connie L. Rupp,
Assistant Regional Director--UC Region, Bureau of Reclamation.
[FR Doc. 04-1171 Filed 1-20-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P