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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />000118 <br /> <br />. Section 7 consultation will be reinitiated where discretionary Federal agency involvement <br />or control over the action has been retained (or is authorized by law) and if: a) new <br />information reveals effects of the agency action that may affect listed species or critical <br />habitat in a manner or to an extent not considered; b) the agency action is subsequently <br />modified in a manner that may cause an effect to the listed species or critical habitat not <br />considered in this consultation (for example a change in limits, see Number I, that exceed <br />those analyzed in this assessment); or c) a new species is listed or critical habitat <br />designated that may be affected by the agency action, <br /> <br />. Reclamation will accelerate conservation efforts for the bonytail chub. Provision I, of the <br />RP A for Lower Colorado River Operations requires that once efforts to grow-out 50,000 <br />razorback suckers in facilities on the Colorado River Indian Tribe (CRIT) reservation have <br />finished, the ponds will be used to relll' bonytail chubs (bonytails) for reintroduction below <br />Parker Dam (providing the Service gains approval to reintroduce bonytails below Parker <br />Dam), To accelerate conservation efforts for bonytails, Reclamation will immediately <br />begin to work with the Service and the CRIT, to implement several actions, By spring <br />1999, two additional3-acre CRIT ponds will be renovated and stocked with bonytails <br />produced at the Service's Dexter, New Mexico facility. Reclamation will also work with <br />the Service to explore the feasibility of initiating additional rearing at the Service's Willow <br />Beach Hatchery, Arizona, By early 2000, several additional 114 to I-acre CRlT ponds <br />will be renovated to continue growing out of bonytail chubs. Coordination will be <br />initiated with the Lake Mohave Native Fish WorkGroup to capture wild bonytails in <br />spring 1999 to provide any needed augmentation of existing bonytail brood stock at <br />Dexter. These efforts will expedite conservation work on bonytails by several yelll's. <br /> <br />. Reclamation will improve the habitat along the lower Colorado River through <br />management of required flood control releases from Hoover Dam to provide <br />freshening flows through Service refuges or other suitable areas to benefit existing <br />southwestern willow flycatcher habitat and backwater habitats for endangered fish. <br />This action will be developed in consultation with Colorado River stakeholders and <br />consistent with Corps of Engineers flood control criteria, The idea is for Reclamation <br />to make minor adjustments within its existing operating criteria that will allow the release <br />of flows in a manner that will improve conditions for sustaining an existing habitat. In <br />addition, Reclamation will also explore, in consultation with the Service and other <br />Colorado River Stakeholders, the potential biological benefit and feasibility of providing <br />water in yelll's of surplus determinations to Service refuges or other suitable lIl'eas below <br />Hoover Dam, <br /> <br />In its memorandum dated August 19, 1995 the Service, upon review of the BA and supplemental <br />information, concurred with Reclamation's determinations of effect and their response concluded <br />informal consultation under regulations promulgated in 50 CFR 9 402.13, which established <br />procedures governing interagency consultation under section 7 of the ESA. The BA and <br />consultation memoranda are provided in Appendix C. <br /> <br />IS <br />