WSPC12661

• File Number: 8282.300
• Description: Colorado River Operations and Accounting - Lower Basin Administrative Procedures
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 5/16/1997
• Author: DOI-BOR
• Title: FWS Final Biological and Conference Opinion on Lower Colorado River Operations and Maintenance - Lake Mead to Southerly International Border - Draft for Review - 05-16-97
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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002957

BIOLOGICAL OPINION

Table of Contents

Initial development: 1823 ............................ 84
Dam construction: 1909-1954 .................,....... 88
Channel modification: 1954-1996 ............. . . . . . . . . . . 93
Other activities: 1823-1996 ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Status of the Species Within the Action Area ........................ 100
Bony tail Chub ....................................... 100
Razorback Sucker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " 101
Critical Habitat of Bony tail Chub and Razorback Sucker .. . . . . . . . . .. 10 1
Southwestern Willow Flycatcher ................................ 101
Status of the Species Within the Action Area ................... 104
Yuma Clapper Rail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 106
Status of the Species Within the Action Area ................... 107
Flat-tailed Horned Lizard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 109
Project Location and General Vegetation Communities ............. 109
Threats to Flat-tailed Horned Lizards and Their Habitat
Specific to the Action Area ................. . . . . . . . .. 109
Status of the Proposed Species Within the Action Area ............. 110
Additional Socioeconomic and Related Factors Affecting
the Environmental Baseline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 113
Human Population Impacting the Action Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 116
Economic Development Impacting the Action Area ............... 116
Visitation/recreation Impacting the Action Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 117
Environmental Contaminants Impacting the Action Area .. . . . . . . . . .. 118
Wildfire Frequency in the Action Area ....................... 118
Previous and Ongoing Section 7 Consultations ....................... 119
Lower Colorado River Mainstem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 119
Other Baseline Projects ................................. 123
Central Arizona Project Havasu Diversion ................ 123
Southern Nevada Water System ....................... 124
Salton Sea and the Endangered Desert Pupfish .................. 124
Operation of Glen Canyon Dam . . . . . . . . . . . . .'. . . . . . . . . . . . . '. 125
Spring 1996 Beach/Habitat-Building Flow, Glen Canyon Dam ........ 125
Fish and Wildlife Service Intra-Service Formal Consultation
on Division of Federal Aid Transfer of Funds to Arizona Game
and Fish Department for Stocking of Sportfish . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 126
Lake Havasu Fisheries Improvement Partnership Program
Formal Consultation .............................. 126
Fish and Wildlife Service Intra-Service Formal Consultation
on Division of Fisheries and Federal Assistance on Stocking
of Rainbow Trout and Channel Catfish . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . .. 126

EFFECTS OF THE ACTION ...................................... 126
Bony tail Chub and Razorback Sucker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 127