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000938 BACKGROUND INFORMATION Endangered Fishes-Many studies have been completed on Colorado River endangered fishes (Colorado pikeminnow, razorback sucker, bonytai1 and humpback chub), their habitats, their behavior, and factors that led to the decline and listing ofthese species under the Endangered Species Act (summarized in the Final EA for Fish Passage at the GVrC Diversion" Dam, Appendix A, (Reclamation, 1997). These studies have increased the understanding of actions needed to recover the fish (establish self-sustaining populations) th!oughout the Upper Colorado River Basin. Critical habitat (critical to the survival of a listed species) has been designated for the Colorado pikeminnow and razorb.ack sucker, and incllldes the 100-year flood plain of Gunnison River from its confluence with Colorado River upstream to the Gunnison River's confluence with the Uncompahgre River. Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker have been stocked in the Guimison River upstream ofthe Redlands Diversion Dam and have been documented using the Red1ands Fish Passageway (Burdick2002). Both species have also been stocked upstream and downstream of the Gunnison River's confluence with the Colorado River (River Mile 170.3) (Burdick; 2002b). Both fish species are extremely rare throughout the Upper Colorado River Basin. To exclude fish from major canal diversions, a fish screen was ~onstructed in 2002 in the Grand V alley rrrigatio~ ' Canal, a diversion from the Colorado River at River Mile 185.1. A fish screen'will also be constructed 2004 in the Government High1ine Canal, which is a diversion from the Colorado' River at River Mile 193.6. Additional information on endangered Co10ra~0 River fishes is included in the biological assessment (USBR, 2003A). Habitat Availability Upstream-One factor that has led to the declin~' of native and endangered fish is loss of access to their historic habitats' (USFWS, 1991; USFWS 1998). In 1996, fish passage was restored past the Redlands Diversion Dam to allow endangered fish access to critical habitat in the Gunnison River to its confluence with the Uncompahgre River and restored connection with Colorado River endangered fish populations. This fish passageway is operated by the Service as a selective passage an.d preverits i1on~native fish movements upstream of the Redlands Diversion Dam. PUBLIC SCOPING , A public scoping letter was mailed to various agencies and adjoining landowners in April 2003. Reclamation requested assistance in identifying issues and concerns associated with the proposed projects. Reclartlation requested comments by May 19,2003. No comments were received. A draft EA was mailed and distributed to interested parties for public review and comment on October 7, 2003. Reclamation requested that written comments be received by November 7, 3