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Summary <br />Based on the work completed by the Core Science Team, Core Hydrology team and concerns <br />expressed by the Dolores River Dialogue during the course of this study, the following options <br />may provide a useful strategy for success with the DRD; <br />• Develop Matrices of options for spill management using the recommendations <br />from the Core Science Report. <br />• Develop options for spill management that improve the ability to manage for <br />Quantity as well as Timing. <br />• Define "Key" habitat areas and needs for improving the roundtail chub <br />populations. <br />• Improve riparian habitats in these "Key" areas by reducing Tamarisk abundance. <br />• Determine highest and best use for managing the "fishpool." <br />• Continue to work within the "Commuiuty Based Stewardship" guidelines. <br />These options are intended to help manage the "fishpool" for the purpose of enhancing warm <br />water fisheries habitat and to attempt to mimic historic flushing flows. ki addition these options <br />would attempt to coordinate the biological enhancement activities with recreational boating <br />opportunities, and early runoff as well as flash flood events from tributaries along the lower <br />Dolores River. These efforts would also need to coincide with the removal of tamarisk from <br />"Key" habitat areas along the lower Dolores River. <br />The geomorphology report, portions of the riparian study, warm water fisheries and portions of <br />the hydrology report all indicate that channel morphology, and warm water fisheries habitat has <br />been degraded by the lack of water in the main channel of the Dolores River. However, within <br />the entire 200 rules of the study area, gradient, vegetation and water quality, may also be having <br />an impact on the ecology of the river. Therefore, the successful enhancement of the lower <br />Dolores River ecosystem will require managing flows as well as work within the opportunties <br />and constraints defined by the Dolores River Dialogue, as various options are discussed, in order <br />to determine the costs and benefits to the system as a whole. The management of flows will also <br />need to take full advantage of what appear to be cycles in the hydrograph. These cycles <br />depending on duration and peak, can have substantial benefit for the Lower Dolores River. <br />This project will evolve as the current science effort is more fully integrated with the hydrology <br />study. This integration will help policy makers manage flows, find areas important for habitat <br />improvement and build tools to help manage both quantity of water and timing of nuloff. <br />The following summaries of the individual disciplines outlined in the Plan to Proceed are <br />intended to begin the process of integration of the Core Science with hydrology. These <br />summaries are intended to stand alone as individual chapters in this report. Therefore, the <br />11 <br />