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., 2 REASONABLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE Regulations (50 CFR 402.02) implementing section 7 of the Act defines reasonable and prudent alternatives as alternative actions, identified during formal consultation, that: 1) can be implemented in a manner consistent with the intended purpose of the action; 2) can be implemented consistent with the scope of the action agency's legal authority and jurisdiction; 3) are economically and technologically feasible; and 4) would, the Service believes, avoid the likelihood. of jeopardizing the continued existence of listed species or resulting in the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat. On January 21-22, 1988, the Secretary of the Interior; the Governors of Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah; and the Administrator of the Western Area Power Administration were cosigners of a Cooperative Agreement to implement the "Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin" (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1987). An objective of the Recovery Program was to recover the listed species while providing for new water development in the Upper Basin. The following excerpts from the Recovery Program are pertinent to this consultation because they summarize portions of the Recovery Program that address depletion impacts, section 7 consultation, and project proponent responsibilities: . ". . . it is necessary to protect and manage sufficient habitat to support self-sustaining popu1ations of these species. One way to accomplish this is to provide long term protection of the habitat by acquiring or appropriating water rights to ensure instream .. ....-. -1lows-c~~~~~ifrplaee-lHl1eehaniSRHUla.a- _... .--- ...- -. commitment to assure that the instream flows are protected under State law, the Service will consider these elements under section 7 consultation as offsettini project dlWletion impacts." The Recovery Program's Recovery Action Plan discusses the important role Ruedi Reservoir plays in the recovery of endangered fish. Ruedi Reservoir has long been considered as an interim source of water until other permanent sources of water could be secured for endangered fish. In order to offset the depletion impacts created by Round II water sales of 17,000 af and to further the Recovery Program in attaining its goal of ensuring sufficient instream flows, the following reasonable and prudent alternative has been developed. 1. Maintain Current Environmenta1 Commitments Reclamation will continue to honor its environmental commitments made in the Round II Final Supplemental Environmenta1 Impact Statement for Ruedi Round II water sales and the Service's 1987 Round II biological opinion. This includes the provision of 5,000 af of water