OCR Text |
Show In the Uinta Basin approximately 163 miles of stream would be affected by the Bonneville Unit. About 143 miles of stream would be subjected to reduced flows and 20 miles would be lost to inundation. About 113 miles of the affected streams are of significant importance to the State fishery resource. About 107 miles of stream in the Bonneville Basin would be influenced by the Unit. Approximately 62 miles of stream would have annual flow reductions and about 20 miles would be inundated. An improved flow situation for fish would develop in 25 miles of stream. Of the 82 miles of stream inundated or receiving reduced flows, approximately 38 miles constitute fisheries of significant State importance. Within the Bonneville Unit area about 244 miles of stream would be affected by the construction and operation of the Unit. Of this amount approximately 39 miles would be lost by inundation and 205 miles would receive reduced flows. Approximately 151 miles of the impacted streams are classified as having significant fishery importance. About 30 miles of stream would realize improved flow patterns for fisheries and 5 miles of stream would receive excessive flow. As previously discussed, the removal of water from a stream in itself does not necessarily reduce the capacity of the stream to produce fish. The U. S. Forest Service and the State Division of Wildlife Resources have determined the minimum flows required to preserve existing fish populations and maintain aquatic habitat in some of the streams to be affected by the Bonneville Unit ( refer to Table C- 3). Earlier in this section, the results of streamflow studies were presented which indicated that oa some Uinta Basin streams tributary inflow would be sufficient to meet and exceed the recommended minimum flows for a portion of the stream channels below Unit features. It is expected that when the recommended flows for upstream points would be reached and exceeded, existing fish populations at downstream locations would be able to survive and sustain themselves and the aquatic habitat would not be degraded to a point where it would be completely lost. 345 |