WSP12649

• File Number: 8220.101.10.A
• Description: Colorado River - Water Projects - Glen Canyon Dam-Lake Powell - Glen Canyon AMWG
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 9/7/2004
• Author: US FWS
• Title: 2002-2003 Progress Review - Implementation of the Glen Canyon Dam Operations Biological Opinion - 09-07-04
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

001537

A very important step in developing an ecosystem-based science program has been the
development of a conceptual model of the Colorado River ecosystem in the Grand
Canyon region (Walters and others 2000). During 2003 the TWG used knowledge
gained from the conceptual model to evaluate a program of potential future experimental
actions through a multi-attribute tradeoff analysis (Failing and others 2003). A
complimentary exercise has been the development of the GCDAMP Strategic Plan,
which was adopted by the AMWG and is available at [online] http://www.usbr.qov/uc/
envoroq/amol strateaic olan.htm!.

STATUS OF ELEMENT 1

Completed. The GCDAMP has been developed and implemented.

ELEMENT 1.A

Carry out a program of experimental flows, including high steady flows in the spring and
low steady flows in summer and fall during approximately 8.23 million acre foot (maf)
water years. The RPA set forth a schedule for development and implementation of
experimental flows. Design of experimental flows and associated studies were to have
been completed by October 1996. Unless the Service doubted the validity of the study
design or the ability of the flow to contribute to removal of jeopardy, the flows were to be
implemented in April 1997. The flows could begin even later in 1997, if good faith effort
to make sufficient progress was completed. Absent sufficient progress, flows were to be
implemented in.spring of 1998.

PROGRESS ON ELEMENT 1.A

In January 2002 the AMWG directed the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research
Center (GCMRC), in consultation with the Technical Work Group (TWG), to design an
experiment to test how dam operations might be modified and other management
actions taken to better conserve sediment and help native fish. On March 25, 2002, the
GCMRC provided a draft proposal for the requested experimental flows and
management actions that formed the basis of the September 2002 Environmental
Assessment on Proposed Experimental Releases from Glen Canyon Dam and Removal
of Non-Native Fish (USDI 2002). Following the release of the Environmental
Assessment, Section 7 consultation with the Service was initiated. Subsequently, the
Service concurred with the finding that the proposed action would not adversely affect
the southwestern willow flycatcher, the California condor, the razorback sucker, or
critical habitat for the razorback sucker. The Service also found that the proposed
activities would not likely result in jeopardy to the HBC, Kanab ambersnail, or bald eagle,
or the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat for the humpback chub
(Service 2002). In December 2002, Reclamation and others (Bureau of Reclamation
and others 2002) issued a Finding of No Significant Impact related to activities proposed
for the experimental releases from Glen Canyon Dam and removal of non-native fish.
Also in December 2002, Reclamation implemented conservation measures for Kanab
ambersnail and humpback chub in conjunction with the proposed activities (Peterson
2002). Reclamation reinitiated Section 7 consultation in March 2003 (Peterson 2003) to
propose a change in the size of humpback chubs translocated as part of the
management activities detailed in the Environmental Assessment of 2002 (USDI2002).
The Service (2003a) responded with a finding of no jeopardy to the proposed changes.
A Finding of No Significant Impact was made in July 2003 by Reclamation and others

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