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000950 Impacts No Action: The No Action alternative would have no effect on existing vegetation or current land uses. Proposed Action: The fish return pipeline would disturb about I acre of riparian vegetation owned by R WPC with grubbing and trenching. This would result in the loss of approximately 10 mature cottonwood trees. Afterconstruction, the area would be re-vegetated with cottonwood and willow plantings and appropriate riparian grasses. Fifty cottonwood and willow seedlings (5 to I ratio) would be planted in the area and tamarisk would be removed to mitigate for the loss of the 10 mature cottonwood trees. A 50-ft. corridor (25 feet on each side of the pipe) would be maintained to protect the pipe and allow for access for maintenance of the fish return outlet structure. The O&M contract between Reclamation arid R WPC would address . long-term control of tamarisk and noxious weeds within the fish return pipeline easement. Reclamation would request authorization from the Army Corps of Engineers under Regional General Permit No. 57, Projects beneficial to the Colorado River endangered fishes, for the construction of the fish screen. The fish return pipeline outlet structure would require discharge of concrete and fill material; however no jurisdictional wetlands would be affected. No changes in land use are predicted as a result oft~e proposed action. FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES Existin2 Conditions: The affected area, for the purposes of assessing fish and wildlife, corresponds to the 100 year floodplain of the Gunnison River from the Redlands Diversion Dam to the Gunnison River's confluence with the Colorado River. There are no significant concerns for project effects on fish and wildlife resources in general; concerns focus on avoiding and minimizing adverse impacts to endangered species as well as complementing efforts to establish self-sustaining populations of endangered CQlorado River fish species. . Riparian habitat along the Gunnison River.support diverse wildlife populations. Similar riparian habitats along the Colorado and Gunnison rivers support both resident and migratory wildlife species and these species are also likely to occur within the project area (Reclamation, 2003b). Common terrestrial species at Walter Walker SW A along the Colorado River include Northern sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus graciosMs grciosus), Northern whiptail (Cnemidophorus tigris septentrionalis), gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer), great blue heron (Ardea herodias), Canada goose (Branta canadensis), mallard (Anas platyhynchos), rock dove (Columba livia), mourning dove (Zenaida macroura), common nighhawk (Chordeiles minor), black-chinned hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri), tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor), black-billed magpie (Pica pica), 15