BOARD00038 ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 9/20/2006
• Description: WSP Section - San Juan River Recovery Implementation Program Document Revisions
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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. CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

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The San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program (Program) was initiated in 1992 to
conserve and recover populations of two endangered fish species in the San Juan River Basin while
allowing water development to proceed in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws. As
such, it is recognized and agreed that the Program is intended to provide the measures for
compliance with the Endangered Species Act (16 US.c. 1531 et. seq.) for water development and
water management activities in the basin.

Endangered fish species in the Basin are the Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker. It is
anticipated that actions taken under this Program will provide benefits to other native fishes in the
basin as well.

The specific goals of the Program are:

(1) to conserve populations of Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker in the
Basin consistent with the recovery goals established under the Endangered Species
Act, 16 U.S.c. 1531 et seq.; and

(2) to proceed with water development in the Basin in compliance with federal and
state laws, interstate compacts, Supreme Court decrees, and federal trust
responsibilities to the Southern Utes, Ute Mountain Utes, Jicarillas, and the
Navajos.

The Program operates through its committee processes to identify the actions needed to attain these
goals. The Program uses as its foundation the "Cooperative Agreement for the San Juan River
Basin Recovery Implementation Program" which is incorporated by reference and is attached as
Appendix A.

This Program Document provides the framework for the Program and outlines the Program's
purposes, authority, structure and operating procedures, including funding and budgeting and
details the purposes of the Program's committees, defining their composition, authority and duties.
In addition, this document describes the process for conducting section 7 consultations under the
Endangered Species Act (ESA), and for reviewing the progress of the Program in providing
reasonable and prudent alternatives and measures for water development and water management
activities in the San Juan River Basin.

The Program's Long-Range Plan (LRP) identifies multi-year research, monitoring and recovery
actions necessary to achieve the Program's goals.