7282

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7282
• Author: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, R. I. P.
• Title: Final Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin.
• USFW Year: 1987.
• USFW - Doc Type: Denver, Colorado.
• Copyright Material: NO

4.0 RECOVERY ELEMENTS
This section describes the initial steps that will be taken to protect and
recover the rare species in the upper basin. The recovery program will
include the following five elements:
a. Habitat management;
b. Habitat development and maintenance;
c. Stocking of native fish species;
d. Nonnative species and sportfishing management; and
e. Research, monitoring, and data management.

Full implementation of these elements will form the basis for the 15-year
recovery program. As other information is developed, it will be incorporated
into the program, and additional activities will be defined, modified,
prioritized, and initiated on a timely basis. It is not expected that the
success of this program will be solely dependent upon any one of these
elements, but on the successful interrelationships between all elements.
4.1 HABITAT MANAGEMENT
The four rare fishes, historically located throughout much of the upper and
lower basins (see Map 1-2 for upper basin distribution of the squawfish), have
become restricted in distribution and abundance because of obstructions to
migration, changes in flow regime, and other physical and biological factors
(see Map 1-3). To provide for their recovery (see Section 2.0), it is
necessary to protect and manage sufficient habitat to support self-sustaining

1 populations of these species. One way of accomplishing this is to provide for
effective long-term protection of the habitat by acquiring or appropriating
water rights to ensure instream flows.
The Implementation Committee will play a central role in ensuring that flow
requirements are identified, that all reasonable means of providing those
flows are examined, and that the appropriate Federal and State agencies work
cooperatively and expeditiously to establish and protect flows. The water
needed to provide flows for rare fish will be appropriated or acquired from a
number of sources in a manner consistent with all State laws. To accommodate
flow needs, the following mechanism has been developed to provide the
assurances that this program can and will be successful.
4.1.1 Principles for Implementation of Habitat Flow Needs
The management and implementation of instream flows to support recovery
activities is based upon four fundamental principles.
a. Provision and maintenance of instream flows at certain times,
locations, and in certain quantities is necessary to protect and
recover rare fish species and habitat in the Upper Colorado River
Basin (see Section 4.1.5).
b. Water for instream flows will be provided as part of this
comprehensive recovery program that addresses the upper basin and the
fish species' habitat needs as a system.
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