9417

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9417
• Author: U.S. Department of the Interior.
• Title: Final Environmental Assessment
• USFW Year: 1998.
• USFW - Doc Type: Acquisition and Enhancement of Floodplain Habitats along the Upper Colorado, Green, and Gunnison Rivers as part of the Recovery Program for Endangered Colorado River Fishes.
• Copyright Material: NO

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1II. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES

A. Introduction and Overview of Project Area

The project area consists of select 1 DO-year
floodplain corridors along the Upper Colorado,
Green, and Gunnison rivers, The reaches that
contain quality floodplains include a 1l3-mile reach
of the Upper Colorado River between River Miles
127 and 240; an 80-mile reach between River Miles
238 and 318 on the Green River, and a 25-mile
reach between River Miles 50 and 75 on the
Gunnison River (Figure 3-1),

Select floodplain habitats are the broad areas in
valleys of the river corridor (Figure 3-2) that would
be prime producers of zooplankton and small
benthic organisms that are of the quantity and size
that would be most beneficial as food for larval and
juvenile endangered fishes. Floodplains in narrow
canyon reaches of Upper Basin rivers (Figure 3-3)
provide less area for habitat and, consequently,
would not be as productive as broad, alluvial valley
reaches.

Quality Floodplain Areas In the Upper
Colorado River Basin

. Quality Floodplains

11 Reservoirs and Lakes
!
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UTAH

WYOMING

8Y

i

COLORADO

NEW MEXICO

Figure 3 -1. A general map of the Upper Colorado River Basin.
This map shows the locations quality floodplain areas.

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