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..__~....,_." '."" .....~,.c:....-",...,_c.......... I " -native fish populations in the Grand Canyon. The rainbow trout fishery in the Lee's Ferry area continues to improve with an increasing percentage coming each year from natural reproduction. Predation studies in the Canyon have identified that Brown Trout, Salmo.1IJ.!m. has a large impact on the native fish. Additional non-native work in the lower Grand Canyon has shown that the fish utilize the tributary mouths as a staging' area from which they leap-frog upstream. Under lower flow, warmer water conditions, the non-native fish may find it easier to migrate upstream and establish population centers at upstream tributary mouths. :1 . , Endangered Species Studies - In addition to the humpback chub and Bald Eagle studies, additional endangered species work has centered on the Kanab Ambersnail, Oxyloma ha.Ydeni Kanabensis, and the Southwest Willow Flycatcher, Empidonax trailIi. We anticipate doing habitat and baseline population surveys, in conjunction with the National Park Service and the Fish & Wildlife Service this spring on the Kanab Ambersnail. The main area of interest is in the Vasey's Paradise area (River Mile 32). , The Southwest Willow Flycatcher work wiII focus this year on the determination of nesting pairs along the river corridor and evaluation of their specific habitat requirements. Both species wiII have their habitats integrated into the GCES Geographic Information System for the long-term monitoring sites. i< !k ;~~ } '.1 f, ~.' . . . Additional work this spring wiII focus on the scientific determination of the research that would need to be acquired to address the concerns of the FWS Biological Opinion. While no new research will begin this year we feel that it is important to begin to evaluate the needs so that critical information is not lost. ",1 ;:::1 Cultural Resources. The National Park Service continues to take the lead in the monitoring of the cultural resource sites in the Grand Canyon. The Park Service has also been working with the tribes to begin developing the long-term monitoring elements required through the Programmatic Agreement. The specific technical geomorphological and geological information is being colIected and analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey. , , '.<. - -::- ." Native American Studies. All tribes have been actively involved with GeES in setting up specific monitoring studies in the Grand Canyon. The Havasupai Tribe is currently awaiting the award of their contract so that water quantity and quality studies can begin on Havasu Creek. The Kaibab Paiutes have signed their agreement and have begun their specific technical studies on the cultural resources. ". {~ ~~~ '-~. Economic Resources. The power studies are entering their final stages with sensitivity studies beginning on the Power Resource model. Meetings have been held with EDF and environmental consultants to address their concerns with the large and small scale system approaches. The Recreation studies have been completed. The non-use studies have gained OMB approval for the pilot study. We are currently reviewing the initial results of the pilot test. Based on the results Phase m, the field CVM test, wiII be initiated.