| OCR Text |
Show 4. riparian habitats, as well as on stream flow losses; The Forest Service is required to evaluate and map out wetlands on Forest lands. It had not commenced as of the spring of 1979 and it plans such study in a "model" area on the North Slope of the Uintas in the summer of 1980. Lee Swenson, fisheries biologist for the BuRec tells me that the wetlands are lower down on the Duchesne River, coming from three springs in the Canyon, and this provides duck habitat. juijtrfo^J^nu**" +* ** »\i.U. ' Criteria listed in Interior Dep't Task Force Reports on instream flows, states that the biological function must be maintained for wildlife habitat. I interpret this to mean that the degree of riparian vegetation which provides terrestrial habitat along streams is to be maintained; birds, small mammals, amphibians, insects, reptiles, etc. In trying to determine how this riparian habitat is evaluated in CUP instream flow issues, I find that the issues are separated for purposes of achieving an agreement on stream flows, only: - the agreed upon 44,400 a f of water will provide for salvage of 50% of adult trout habitat - riparian terrestrial habitat - or that area alongside rivers which is wetted sufficiently to grow plants - is being ignored, or "accommodated" by the purchase of the 2,300 acre ranch on Currant Creek for mitigation (Either one million or five million $) - wetlands are unidentified by the Forest Service and are acknowledged by the BuRec when they are of substantial acreage or are produced by irrigation run-offs at oxbows.J 11 The parties to this agreement, and those concurring herein, have reexamined the minimum stream flow and fishery problem, in an effort to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution thereof. It is mutually acknowledged that it is desirable and necessary that more water be made available for these purposes than the 6,500 a f provided for in the resolution of April 12, 1965, and it is also mutually acknowledged that the project itself must maintain an adequate eost-benefit ratio, and that reductions In the annual transbasin diversion of 136,000 a f of water will adversely affect the power generation facilities, and reduce the supply of water available for municipal, industrial, and Irrigation uses in the Bonneville and Sevier Basins. (NOTE: this loss of irrigation water was not considered so significant when 40,000 a f of it was sold to IPP by water supplies for irrigators at $1, 750 per a f a couple of winters ago!) ^The parties jointly agree to acquire additional water |
