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CHhJ593 Because of the 1 imited fl oodp 1 a in area along the Colorado and Gunn i son ri vers, gravel-pi t ponds wi 11 be reconnected wi th the ri vers under the Recovery Program element involving habitat rehabilitation and restoration. The number of ponds that will be involved under the habitat element depends upon success in ga i ni ng access through wi 11 i ng 1 andowners. Ponds under private ownership on the Colorado River constitute about 73% of the total number and about 44% on the Gunnison River (Mitchell 1995). Therefore, this alternative by itself cannot achieve the level required by the Recovery Program to control chronic escapement of nonnative fishes. No impacts are expected on land use, Indian trust assets, or environmental justice under this alternative. Veqetation. Riverine wetlands will develop as floodplain ponds drain after the spring runoff. Productive wetl ands would be morebenefi ci a 1 for diversity of flora and fauna than gravel-pit ponds that are relatively sterile. Fish and Wildlife Resources. Connecting floodplain ponds with the rivers along the Upper Colorado and Gunnison rivers will be beneficial to the productivity of zooplankton and benthic organisms that are required by the early life stages of fish and food organisms for various shorebirds and waterfowl. These small organisms will drift out of embayments created from the floodplain ponds and serve as a source of food for early life stages of fish that inhabit the embayments or backwater habitats on the river. It is anticipated that some nonnative fishes will be controlled partially by the annual draining of such ponds. No major adverse impacts should result to wildlife species under this alternative. Endanqered Species. It is expected that reconnection of floodplain ponds with the river, allowing the river to function more like a natural riverine environment, will be beneficial for food and habitat of the early 1 ife stages of the endangered fishes. Survival during the early life stages of the endangered fishes is very low but is expected to increase if food of the proper sizes and abundance is available to them during their critical early 1 He peri od. Socio-Economic Factors. Floodplain ponds will be reconnected with the rivers only with the full cooperation and consent of landowners so that no adverse sociological problems are anticipated. Acquisition of floodplain properties under the Recovery Program habitat element would generate income for pri vate 1 andowners that woul d be reimbursed a fair market value for such use. Therefore, no adverse impacts to economics is expected to occur. E. Alternative 5 - Fill Gravel-Pit Ponds Upon Completion of Gravel Mininq Operations. Under this alternative, gravel-pit ponds in the floodplain of the Colorado and Gunnison rivers would be filled upon completion of new gravel mining operations. Suitable fill would be hauled from off-site locations. Filling of gravel-pit ponds would not be done under existing gravel mining permits. 24