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

Environmental assessment document

To comply with the Natiional Environmental Policy Act, the Service and B~eati have developed
a document called a draft environmental assessment. The purpose of this document is to evaluate
and solicit public comments on alternatives to provide and protect habitat to help recover
. endangered fish. The alternatives are: -

1. No action: This alternative would maintain the status quo. Habitat for endangered fish
would continue to degrade. The ecosystem food supply will continue to diminish, affecting
endangered fish and other wildlife species. R3z0rback suckers would continue to decline,
likely resulting in the ultimate extinction of the species. Without restoring floodplain
habitat, the bonytail may not be recoverable.

2. Induce flooding: To provide habitat for endangered fish, floodplain/wetland areas could be
inundate~ by releasing large amounts of water from dams during spring runoff. If flows
were sufficiently high, this alternative could restore enough habitat needed for recovery.
But the flooding could inundate property oflandowners who do not want to participate in
this program. This alternative is not being considered at this time.

3. Protect and enhance floodplains to take advantage of available flows: (The preferred
alternative) This alternative w:ould involve developing agreements and or acquiring rights
. from willing landowners to protect and enhance floodplain habitat to benefit endangered
fish. The "flood-ability" of the property could be eI1;hanced through excavation and
breaching of existing levees that prevent river water from spilling onto the adjacent
floodplain.

Where possible, the Recovery Program would enter into agreements and partnerships with
land management agencies to use public lands, though this would not be adequate. for
recovery of the fish. Some situations may involve buying the land,'and in other cases,
some landowners may voluntarily choose to protect their land as endangered fish habitat or
consider some form of donation or exchange. But the most likely arrangement would be
that the Recovery Program would purchase an easement for use of a certain portion of the
landowner's property.

The Green River System

C.....l Loc.~. M.p
Colorado lUycr Sr.te.

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Pllare 3. - General map of the Green R.lver System
Major Floodptain Areas Along the Grllen R.iver.
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