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<br />EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br />C. Affected Environment <br />The area potentially affected by the Proposed Action includes all of the <br />Upper Colorado River Basin above Glen Canyon Dam but excludes the San Juan <br />River and its tributaries (See Figure III-1). <br />D. Environmental Consequences of the Alternatives <br />Prediction of future impacts is hampered by the dynamic, adaptable nature <br />of the Recovery Implementation Program. Program implementation will be <br />influenced greatly by future research results. Many actions cannot be <br />defined in detail until underlying research is completed and various <br />options for implementation are identified. Detailed impact analyses were <br />possible only in instances where detailed assumptions could be developed <br />and justified. Generalized impact analyses were prepared when detailed, <br />justifiable assumptions could not be developed. Table ES-1 summarizes <br />impacts. Major conclusions are as follows: <br />1. The Proposed Action is expected to have: <br />a. Positive impacts on rare and endangered fishes and future water <br />development in the Upper Basin. <br />b. Negative impacts on nonnative warmwater fish species which compete <br />with or prey on endangered fishes and which can be affected by <br />control measures. This may affect warmwater sportfishing for <br />these species. <br />c. Negative impacts on power revenues (in the short term) and on <br /> regional electricity rates (in the long term). These might be <br /> offset by future measures to reduce impacts, such as allowing <br /> operational flexibility at Flaming Gorge Dam. <br />d. Mixed impacts (i.e., both positive and negative impacts, depending <br /> on location, time of year, and other variables) on nonnative <br /> coldwater sport fishes, coldwater sportfishing, recreational <br /> boating, and pumping costs for waterfowl management areas. <br />e. Unpredictable, but likely minimal, impacts on nonendangered <br /> warmwater native fishes and irrigation-associated riparian <br /> habitat. <br />f. Neutral, redistributional impacts (changes that are neither <br /> positive or negative in value) on Federal water management, water <br /> rights, and natural riparian habitat. <br />l <br />i <br />t <br />g. enance, <br />ma <br />n <br />No or minimal impacts on water quality, channe <br /> coldwater native fishes, terrestrial wildlife, other endangered <br /> and threatened species, candidate species, and archaeological/ <br /> cultural resources. <br />t <br />ES-2 I