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<br />Flood plain restoration <br /> <br />Over the past century, the upper Colorado River basin has lost much of its flood plain. <br />Levees have been built to prevent flooding, Rip-rap has been installed to protect property. <br />Dams and water diversions have tamed the high flows that previously were common in the <br />spring, These events have reduced the extent, frequency and duration of flooding. The loss <br />of flood plain habitats is believed to have contributed to the decline of the now endangered <br />razorback sucker. <br /> <br />One aspect of endangered fish recovery involves enhancing or restoring natural flood plain <br />habitats. An inventory of these habitats has been completed for 871 miles of the Colorado, <br />Green, Gunnison, Yampa and White rivers; a final report is available from Pat Nelson. Four <br />sites have been restored: Old Charlie Wash on the Green River in Utah, and in Colorado, a <br />gravel pit at 29 5/8 Road in Grand Junction, a site at Walter Walker State Wildlife Area on <br />the Colorado River downstream of Grand Junction and an area near Adobe Creek <br />downstream of Walter Walker. Endangered fish were found in Old Charlie and Walter <br />Walker during 1995. Plans are being formulated to restore additional areas along the Green <br />River during 1996, including a site below Bonanza Bridge, one adjacent to Old Charlie <br />Wash, and others at Horseshoe Bend, the Stirrup, Baeser Bend, Leota Bottom and Wyasket <br />Bottom. <br /> <br />Major components of the flood plain restoration effort include: <br />Screening potential restoration areas to determine levels of contaminants, such as <br />selenium, This information will be used to assess suitability of sites for restoration. <br />Studies and activities to remediate contaminants problems in flood plain habitats. <br />Studies on managing flood plain habitats to benefit endangered fish rather than <br />non-native fish. <br />Analyses of alternatives to restore flooding at selected sites, <br />Environmental compliance to secure permits for flood plain restoration. <br />Design, engineering and construction to restore natural flood plain habitats and <br />functions, <br />Acquisition of interests in privately-owned flood plain properties from willing <br />participants . <br />Evaluation of results on a site-specific, reach-specific and basin-wide basis. <br /> <br />The flooded bottom lands restoration effort is funded by the U .S, Bureau of Reclamation and <br />will continue until at least 1999. Success will be measured according to the response of <br />endangered fish populations, non-native fish populations and the river ecosystem. Results of <br />work to-date have suggested that highly engineered sites may be extremely expensive to <br />construct and maintain, and that it may be more cost-effective to restore areas in such a <br />manner that they will behave more naturally. <br /> <br />Documents required for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act have been <br />completed for the four sites previously identified, <br /> <br />2 <br />