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<br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />APPENDIX A <br />Lower Colorado River <br />multi-Species Conservation Program <br /> <br />It's long been said that the Colorado River is <br />the lifeblood of the West, Today, the Colorado <br />River supplies vital water and power resources for <br />more than 20 million people in Arizona. <br />California and Nevada, <br />Recently. concerns have been raised about the <br />reliability of these water and power resources fol- <br />lowing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 1994 <br />designation of critical habitat for four endangered <br />fish species in the Colorado River Basin. <br />In response, representatives of the three states, <br />along with the various waIer and power agencies <br />along the lower Colorado, have formed a regional <br />partnership, which is developing a first-of-its kind <br />multi-species conservation program aimed at pro- <br />tecting sensitive, threatened and endangered <br />species of fish, wildlife and their habitat, <br /> <br />Description: <br /> <br />... The multi-species conservation program <br />will work toward the recovery of listed <br />species through habitat and species conserva- <br />tion, and attempt to reduce the likelihood of <br />additional species listings under the <br />Endangered Species Act. <br /> <br />... The proposed long-term program also <br />will accommodate current water diversions <br />and power production and optimize oppor- <br />tunities for future water and power develop- <br />ment. <br /> <br />... Planned to be implemented over a 50- <br />year period, the comprehensive program will <br />address future federal agency consultation <br />needs under the Endangered Species Act's <br />Section 7, and non-federal agency needs for <br />endangered species incidental take autho- <br />rization approval under the Act's Section 10. <br /> <br />00253') <br /> <br /> <br />... Over a three-year planning period for the development of a comprehen- <br />sive program, interim conservation measures will be implemented to address <br />the immediate critical needs for certain endangered species, Interim measures <br />to benefit the endangered razorbac.k sucker and bonytaiI chub are proposed <br />for the first year, <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Location: <br /> <br />The program covers the mainstem of the lower Colorado River from below Glen <br />Canyon Dam to the Southerly International Boundary with Mexico. The program <br />area includes the lOa-year flood plain and reservoir full-pool elevations. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Biological scope: <br /> <br />MOrE; than 100 federal or state-listed, candidate, and sensitive species and their <br />associated habitats, ranging from aquatic, wetland and riparian habitats, to upland <br />areas will be addressed. <br />The program will address the biological needs of mammals, birds, fish, amphib- <br />ians and reptiles, as well as invertebrates and plants. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Stakeholders: <br /> <br />The program involves a broad-based state/federal/tribalfprivate regional partner- <br />ship, which includes water, hydroelectric power and wildlife management agencies <br />in Arizona, California and Nevada. The stakeholders include: <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />U.S. Department of the Interior: <br />Fish and Wildlife Service <br />Bureau of Reclamation <br />National Park Service <br />Bureau of Land Management <br />Bureau of Indian Affairs <br /> <br />AppendiX A-I <br /> <br />Map showing planning area <br /> <br />Arizona: <br />Department of Water Resources <br />Department of Game and Fish <br /> <br />California: <br />Colorado River Board of California <br />Department of Fish and Game <br /> <br />Nevada: <br />Colorado River Commission of Nevada <br />Nevada Division of Wildlife <br /> <br />Lower Colorado River Basin Indian Tribes <br /> <br />Various water and hydroelectric power resource <br />management agencies within the three Lower <br />Basin st,ltes. <br /> <br />The program also is seeking the participation by conserva- <br />tion groups. American Rivers, the Environmental Defense <br />Fund, the Defenders of Wildlife, the Grand Canyon Trust <br />and The Nature Conservancy have participated informally in <br />the program's early planning efforts. <br /> <br />Program cost: <br /> <br />Projected at about $4.5 million over three years for plan- <br />ning needs and implementation of the interim conservation <br />measures. Equitable federal/non-federal cost-sharing is being <br />pursued. <br />