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<br />FISH AND WILDLIFE
<br />
<br />As mandated under Section 8 of the
<br />Colorado River Slorage Act. Reclamation
<br />conlinues to fund development or improve-
<br />menls ollish and wlldlile habilals. and
<br />acquire lands or easements for lish and
<br />wildllle purposes to offset project
<br />impacts.
<br />To date over 76,000 acres have been
<br />acquired under the Colorado River Storage
<br />Project lor lish and wildlite purposes,
<br />costing nearly $25 million. The maJOrily of
<br />these publiC lands have been improved
<br />for fish and wildlife through providing min-
<br />imum stream Ilows below dams or mini-
<br />mum reservoir pOOls lor lish conserva-
<br />tion, lencing 10 control grazing. reseeding
<br />to Increase cover or lorage, or other
<br />leatures 10 enhance lish and wlldlile
<br />values Most of these lands have been
<br />turned over to state wildlife agencies lor
<br />appropriate management. Interagency
<br />management ptans are prepared lor each
<br />land acqUisition to assure that lish and
<br />Wildlife habitats are tile principle obJec-
<br />live.
<br />
<br />During 1986, Reclamation acquired or
<br />improved wildlife habitats throughout Ihe
<br />Upper Colorado Region. as follows:
<br />
<br />Colorado: Reclamation acquired 2.828
<br />acres of big game habital near the
<br />Aspinall Unit. Also. 600 acres 01 rrparian
<br />habitat and 2 miles 01 fisherman access
<br />was acquired along the Gunnison River
<br />lor the Dolores Unit
<br />
<br />Utah: As part 01 the Strawberry Aqueduct
<br />and Collection System, 1.025 acres at big
<br />game habitat and 5 miles 01 fisherman
<br />access was acquired
<br />Wyoming: Reclamation continued to
<br />provide development funds to create
<br />waterlowl habitat and wetlands at the
<br />Seedskadee National Wildlile Refuge
<br />below Fontenelle Dam. Canada geese
<br />and mallards nest In Ihis narrow foresled
<br />corridor along the Green River. An occa-
<br />sional migrating peregrrne lalcon or
<br />whooping crane may be observed In the
<br />sprrng or fall at this reluge.
<br />
<br />Wildlife: Various walerlowl, mule deer.
<br />elk. moose. and sage grouse are Just a
<br />few of Ihe species benefiting by Reclama-
<br />tion acquisitions. Reclamation has con-
<br />tributed substantially to the developmenl
<br />of Brown's Park, Slewart Lake. and
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<br />f1azorback sucker, a fBrc catch in C:llaracl Canyon of the Colorado River below Moab. Utah, Habitat requirements for
<br />l~lis and otller federally protected native fishes are being investigated oy l1eclam811on biOlogists and through contracted
<br />studies
<br />
<br />Desert Lake Waterfowl Management
<br />Areas. Utah. In Colorado, Reclamallon
<br />assisted in land acquisition and lencing of
<br />the Hughes property. Reclamation will
<br />provide water lor Pariette and Billy Creek
<br />Wildllle Areas, managed by the Bureau 01
<br />Land Management
<br />Sport Fisheries: The Jones Hole and
<br />Hotchkiss National Fish Hatcherres were
<br />creafed to provide fish for the reservOirs
<br />in the participating unils 01 the Colorado
<br />River Storage ProJect. In 1986, 310,139
<br />
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<br />~-"~~- ,."07;,;___.,/;/-,.,__.:<."
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<br />Elec/rolishinq to determine species composition and
<br />nurnbws of ;,ative COloradQ River fishes
<br />
<br />pounds 01 brown, rainbow, and cutthroat
<br />trout were produced by these hatcheries
<br />for stocking in Fontenelle lailwater,
<br />Flaming Gorge, Currant Creek, Steinaker,
<br />Red Fleet, Ridgway, Blue Mesa, Craw-
<br />ford. Silverjack, McPhee, and Navajo
<br />reservoirs in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado,
<br />and New Mexico.
<br />
<br />State agencies supplemented Reclama-
<br />tion sponsored efforts by stocking such
<br />as lrout and other warm water species.
<br />
<br />Endangered Species: Ongoing research
<br />continues to determine the lite require-
<br />ments ollhe four native Colorado River
<br />lishes: the Colorado squawfish, hump-
<br />back and bonytarl chub, and razorback
<br />sucker. Reclamation has committed to
<br />study and assess the elfect thai construc-
<br />tion and operalion of dams on the
<br />Colorado River may have on these rare
<br />lishes.
<br />
<br />An interagency managemenl plan for
<br />overwinlering bald eagle around Navajo
<br />Reservoir, New Mexico is being finalized
<br />between the Bureau of Land Manage-
<br />ment. New Mexico Game and Fish
<br />Department, and Reclamation. During
<br />ice-free winter months, up to 100 bald
<br />eagles may be observed roosting near
<br />this reservoir
<br />
<br />Reclamation will continue to supporl
<br />conservation ollish, Wildlife, and their
<br />habllals, and the protection 01 rare and
<br />endangered species in Ihe lulure.
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