9383

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9383
• Author: SWCA, I.
• Title: Recovery Goals for the four Colorado River Endangered Fish Species.
• USFW Year: 2000.
• USFW - Doc Type: Logan.
• Copyright Material: NO

3.5 Other Natural or Manmade Factors Affecting Its Continued Existence
3.5.1 Water Quality
Changed water quality is identified as a threat to the four endangered fish sp

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bonytail. These programs are cooperative agreements among federal agencies, States, Native
s, and environmental groups, but these programs are not regulatory mechanisms that
permanent, long-term protection for the species.
In the lower basin, there is no single recovery program that provides a mechanism for
recovery of the species. The Lower Colorado River MSCP was initiated in response to a
biological opinion issued on the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation' s routine operations and
maintenance of the Lower Colorado River. The MSCP is developing conservation plans for over
100 terrestrial and- 'c species along the Lower Colorado River. The intent of these
conservation action 0 provide assurances against Section 7 consultations, particularly with
regard to destruction or a verse modification of critical habitat (U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
1996). The MSCP is a program that may contribute to conservation and recovery of the
endangered species, but like the upper basin recovery programs, it is not a regulatory mechanism
. for permanent, long-term protection.
In addition to federal protection under the ESA, these species are considered
"endangered" or "sensitive" species by t tates of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. This
status prohibits intentional take and k r harming in any way any fish captured
incidentally. However, the states do not address the major problem of habitat destruction, and
especially streamflow modification. Most states have instream laws that allow "benefical uses"
of water left in streams for wildlife, but these laws typically provide for only minimal flows.
With some states, there is also an inherent conflict between management of nonnative sport fish
and recovery of endangered fishes. Where valued sport fish ccur, there is an ongoing
dilemma between public demands for maintenance and exp 0 of public owned fisheries and
apparent management actions to conserve and recovery endangered fish. There is no immediate
solution to the dilemma, but predation by nonnative fishes is clearly identified as a cause for the
declined status of these species, and adaptive management agreements between States and the
Service are essential.

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