9391

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9391
• Author: Watts, G., W. R. Noonan, H. R. Maddux and D. S. Brookshire.
• Title: The Endangered Species Act and Critical Habitat Designation
• USFW Year: 1997.
• USFW - Doc Type: An Integrated Biological and Economic Approach.
• Copyright Material: NO

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agriculture, to municipal and industrial uses in order to satisfy the demands of a rapidly
growing population. The demands for the endangered fishes will compete with municipal and
industrial demands for water currently used in agricultural production. The designation of
critical habitat is not the primary cause of declining agricultural production in the area, but
will accelerate the ongoing conversion from agricultural uses to other, predominantly
municipal and industrial uses.

III. Estimating Direct Economic Impacts

The resource reallocations described above were translated into estimates of output changes in
directly affected sectors of local and regional economies dependent upon the river. In the
Colorado River study, prohibitions upon further water depletions in critical habitat reaches
along the upper river were modeled by reducing the output of the agricultural sectors of
Colorado and Wyoming. The rationale for this approach is that in lieu of developing Colorado
River waters for municipal and industrial uses, the municipalities in the two states will
increase the rate at which irrigation water rights are being purchased and transferred to other
uses. The amount of agricultural output foregone was computed using estimates of crop
consumptive irrigation requirements, field -irrigation efficiencies, cropping patterns and yields;
all taken from published sources. State agricultural production was reduced to match the
equivalent amount of water depletions foregone due to critical habitat designations based upon
state water planning documents.

The effects of critical habitat designations on water users below Flaming Gorge and Glen
Canyon dams were modeled in two ways. First, a sample of outfitters providing rafting,
fishing and other recreational services to the public was interviewed in person to assess their
reactions to the flow changes needed to enhance spawning habitat for endangered fish. Each
outfitter was shown visual hydrographs of average river flows by week, both before and after
critical habitat designations, for reaches of the river where he operated. Each outfitter was
then asked to identify periods of the year when his operations would be affected by the new

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