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be affected. Specifically, there would be no requirements for Orchard Mesa to operate the check to facilitate fish passage. Fish and Wildlife Resources The primary fish and wildlife resources associated with this proposal are found in the Colorado River itself and within the riparian and agricultural land along the river. Wildlife species in the vicinity include the Canada goose, great blue heron, various species of ducks and shorebirds, and a variety of songbirds. Fish resources include the native flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker, mountain sucker, and roundtail chub. Nonnative fish species include channel catfish, black bullhead, common carp, fathead minnows, white suckers, and green sunfish. Under the No Action alternative, no significant changes in wildlife resources are anticipated. Current policies to reduce non-native fish that compete with native fish in the Colorado River may gradually change the species composition in the river and adjacent ponds to a higher percentage of native fish and a lower percentage of non-natives, including game fish such as channel catfish. During construction of the preferred alternative, there would be some disturbance of wildlife and fish during the several months of construction. This disturbance would be temporary and should not have significant adverse effects. The impact would occur during the non-breeding season, further reducing the potential for impacts. In the long-term, the pool-riffle complex would probably create habitat for some fishes as well as aquatic invertebrates. This may increase feeding areas for species such as the great blue heron. Endangered Species Endangered species that are possibly found in the project area include the Colorado squawfish, razorback sucker, American peregrine falcon, bald eagle, interior least tern, and the southwestern willow flycatcher. None of the Federally-listed threatened or endangered mammals or plants are known to occur in the project impact area. Information on the endangered fish is contained elsewhere in this EA and in Appendix A. Information on birds occurring in the project area was obtained from lists by Andrews and Righter (1992), Colorado Natural Heritage Program (1995), and a Bird Checklist for Mesa County Colorado. The American peregrine falcon is a rare breeder and migrant in the general area. Suitable nesting habitat is not found within the impact area, although the general impact area could be used for hunting. The bald eagle is an uncommon but regular winter visitor that occasionally perches in large cottonwood trees along the river. The interior least tern is a migrant that is occasionally observed in open water areas of the Grand Valley. The Southwestern willow flycatcher inhabits the riparian zone and forages over open land habitats. This flycatcher was reported to breed in the Grand Valley (Colorado Natural Heritage Program 1995). Suitable habitat (patches of willows, tamarisk, small cottonwoods) for the flycatcher does not occur in the immediate project impact area. 17