7750

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7750
• Author: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
• Title: Study of Alternative Water Supplies for Endangered Fishes in the "15-Mile Reach" of the Colorado River.
• USFW Year: 1992.
• USFW - Doc Type: \
• Copyright Material: NO

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

The committee identified a range of activities which they felt were needed to protect and
recover the endangered fish species in the Upper Colorado River Basin:
(1) Habitat management;
(2) Habitat development and maintenance;
(3) Stocking of native fish species;
(4) Nonnative species and sportfishing management; and
(5) Research, monitoring, and data management.
These five activities constitute the elements of the Recovery Implementation Program for
Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin, which was published in
September 1987.
In January 1988, the governors of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming; the Administrator of the
Western Area Power Administration; and the Secretary of the Interior executed a cooperative
agreement to carry out the activities of the Recovery Implementation Program. The
program's annual budget is provided by Reclamation (from power revenues generated by the
Colorado River Storage Project), the FWS (from Congressional appropriations), and the
three states (from state appropriations or through in-kind services). It is anticipated that the
program will require congressional appropriations for the capital cost of such things as
acquisition of water rights for instream flows and construction of fish hatcheries.
The Recovery Implementation Program is overseen by a committee, called the
Implementation Committee. This committee consists of representatives of the signatories of
the January 1988 cooperative agreement, environmental groups, and water user groups.
Instream Flows for the Reach
One of the most critical concerns within the Reach is to protect important endangered f sh
habitat by providing sufficient flows in the river. To protect new and existing flows, it will
be necessary to acquire or appropriate water and/or water rights for instream flow purposes.
The Recovery Implementation Program calls for instream flows to be obtained according to
state law. In Colorado, the Colorado Water Conservation Board is the only entity authorized
to hold instream flow water rights.
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