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. "....,.,.,:,... .'~' ,>'.. ..~....',..... _'~ :_'>'>~ l":.' In the Colorado River study, over 2,200 miles of the river and its tributaries were designated critical habitat to provide one or more of the constituent elements described above. These designations protect river flows deemed necessary for species survival and recovery as weIl as riparian areas in the flood plain that are used as backwater breeding areas during periods of high spring flows. The designations also effect how water is released from federal reservoirs along the river system. For example, all four Colorado River fishes require high spring flows for successful breeding and the survival of juvenile fish. Storage of peak flows in federal reservoirs for later release to downstream users could thus be considered an adverse modification of critical habitat in violation of the Endangered Species Act. The practical effect of the designations on the reallocation of resources among other river users is a function of geography. A substantial amount of critical habitat was designated in the state of Colorado on the upper Colorado River and its tributaries, the Gunnison and Yampa Rivers. Along these river reaches, the practical effect of the designation is to limit further consumptive uses of waters that would reduce peak spring flows needed to provide breeding habitat for fish. These restrictions might inhibit or prevent the state of Colorado from proceeding with plans to divert more Colorado River water to front range communities for municipal and industrial uses. They may also restrict Wyoming's ability to develop and use water in the Little Snake River, a tributary of the Yampa. Water that would otherwise have been consumptively used in Colorado and Wyoming could instead be stored in Lake Powell and eventually released for use by lower basin states. Furthermore, in lieu of water from the Colorado River, municipal and industrial water users in Wyoming and Colorado may rely more heavily on purchases of agricultural water rights or increased agriculture efficiencies. Critical habitat designated along the San Juan River in New Mexico, a major tributary to the Colorado, would also have negative impacts upon agricultural production. In this case, the existence of critical habitat could prevent the Navajo Tribe from implementing plans to expand the Navajo Irrigation Project near Farmington over the next two decades. . As a result, water that would otherwise have been put to irrigation use in New Mexico will also flow into Lake 8