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more of the constituent elements are considered critical habitat. Areas within the 100- <br />year floodplain which have been previously developed are not likely to provide <br />constituent elements when flooded. Paved areas, road and rail corridors, built-up areas <br />within municipalities, and other previously developed or farmed areas are not considered <br />critical habitat. Diked and leveed areas to which a connection to the river remains may <br />continue to provide the constituent elements necessary for inclusion as critical habitat. <br />Similarly, abandoned sand and gravel pits may provide the constituent elements of critical <br />habitat. Sand and gravel operations which are currently extracting materials are not <br />considered critical habitat. However, the site of such operations may later provide <br />opportunities to recover these species. As previously mentioned, although private land <br />may be designated, regulation of activities only takes place when there is Federal <br />involvement. Critical habitat designation applies only to those projects or activities <br />which require Federal involvement (i.e.. funding, permits etc.) in order to proceed. <br />Several reservoirs or portions thereof are included in the critical habitat designation. This <br />designation is for all lands contained within the reservoir shorelines at the full-pool elevation. <br />The full-pool elevation is defined as the water surface elevation at full capacity. The <br />reservoirs physical features such as gravel bars, shallow depressions, washes, and areas of <br />riparian vegetation that when covered by water, can provide spawning, nursery, feeding or <br />other habitat components, can provide critical habitat. By establishing the upper boundary at <br />the full pool elevation, all possible physical habitats within the reservoir are included as <br />critical habitat regardless of the water elevation at any given time. The critical habitat <br />designation does not require the reservoir to be continuously maintained at the full pool <br />elevation. Changes in water surface elevations due to reservoir operations may have effects <br />to the listed species or the critical habitat, however, these effects would be considered during <br />project specific Section 7 consultations. <br />RAZORBACK SUCKER <br />The Service is proposing 15 reaches of the Colorado River system (Figure 6 and Table 2) for <br />designation as critical habitat for the razorback sucker. In the Upper Basin, critical habitat is <br />being proposed in the Green, Yampa, Duchesne, White, Colorado, Gunnison, and San Juan <br />rivers in the Lower Basin. Portions of the Colorado, Gila, Salt, and Verde rivers are being <br />proposed. <br />Fifty-two percent (1,824) of the historical range of razorback sucker is proposed for <br />designation as critical habitat. This represents reaches in each of the major basins of its <br />historic range. Other areas that are not proposed also may be important and may contribute <br />to the eventual recovery of razorback sucker. <br />41