Laserfiche WebLink
<br />\jMIO <br /> <br />III. Study Goals, Objectives, End Product: <br /> <br />Naturally functioning, highly productive low-velocity habitats are <br />thought to be an essential component of the life history of some or <br />all of the native fishes of the upper Colorado River basin, but many <br />such habitats have been hydrologically cut off from the main channel <br />of the river and no longer provide benefits to the native fishes. <br />The goal of the Habitat Restoration Program is to restore or enhance <br />natural floodplain functions that support recovery of endangered <br />fishes in the Upper Basin. Natural floodplain functions include <br />provision of food, enhanced water temperatures, high quality water, <br />shelter from high velocities, vegetative cover for predator <br />avoidance, nursery rearing habitats, and spawning habitats. <br /> <br />The Habitat Restoration Program is based on the premise that an <br />ecosystem approach offers the best opportunity for reestablishing <br />natural attributes and functions of low-velocity habitats and, <br />therefore, achievement of the Program goal. This is because the <br />occurrence, availability to fishes, and bioproduction of low- <br />velocity habitats are spatially and temporally dynamic, and depend <br />upon ecosystem attributes and processes (e.g., flow dynamics, <br />sediment regimes, channel morphology, and food web dynamics). Jack <br />A. Stanford (1994. Instream flows to assist the recovery of <br />endangered fishes of the upper Colorado River basin. U.S.D.I. <br />National Biological Survey Biological Report 24, Washington, D.C. 47 <br />pp.) presented a comprehensive ecosystem approach for identifying <br />the flow needs for the endangered fishes in the Upper Basin that <br />focuses on development of a better understanding of the coupling of <br />physical processes associated with flow, geomorphology, and riverine <br />bioproduction. Stanford's suggested ecosystem approach encompasses <br />floodplain wetlands and other low-velocity habitats and provides a <br />foundation for the Habitat Restoration Program conceptual framework. <br /> <br />Finally, the Habitat Restoration Program should be considered in the <br />context of the larger Colorado River Recovery Program. The scope of <br />the framework is limited to those objectives for which the Habitat <br />Restoration Program has leadership responsibility. However, success <br />of the Habitat Restoration Program, and ultimately the Recovery <br />Program, is contingent upon integration of and close coordination <br />between the Habitat Restoration Program and other Recovery Program <br />elements. The framework presumes continued progress in other <br />Recovery Program elements as identified in the RIPRAP, especially <br />development and implementation of instream flow recommendations, <br />stabilization of endangered fish populations, reduction in impacts <br />of nonnative fishes and sportfishing, and continuation of the <br />Interagency Standardized Monitoring Program. <br /> <br />Goal <br /> <br />To restore or enhance natural floodplain functions that support <br />recovery of endangered fishes in the upper Colorado River basin. <br /> <br />4 <br />