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recognized as the most significant potential threat. In Wyoming and Utah, statewide policies and regulations address fish health status, disease certification of stocked and imported fish, and stocking protocols, which are designed to reduce disease threats. Fish testing positive for whirlii1g disease in Wyoming and Utah hatcheries will not be stocked. In addition, established wild populations are not stocked. In Colorado, a specific policy on WD clearly designates native cutthroat trout waters and other wild trout habitats that are WD negative as the most protected category (AAA), and that only fish that have tested negative for WD using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol may be used to release into these habitats, and these tests must be performed within 60 days of the desired stocking date.. Colorado also implements regulations for disease-free certification for fish importation for seven salmonid pathogens. Colorado has policies on the use of isolation/quarantine units within the state hatchery system to facilitate working with wild native cutthroat stocks for propagation objectives without increasing risk of transmission of salmonid disease pathogens. Aggressive implementation of these state regulations and policies is being accomplished and serves as the best approach to minimizing disease threats. D. Absence of regulating mechanisms adequate to prevent decline of the species or degradation of its habitat: Colorado River cutthroat trout is designated as a special status species by Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. The fish is classified as a sensitive species by Regions 2 and 4 of the USFS and by the BLM. As such, native cutthroat trout populations are protected by state regulations concerning stocking restrictions, fishing closures, harvest and gear restrictions, stream barriers to fish passage, and disease control. These approaches are considered to be effective in reducing the threats of hybridization with other salmonids, overharvest by angling, and disease (Bennett et al. 1996). Further federal protection for Colorado River cutthroat trout habitat is found in the Clean Water Act, NEPA, and other federal mandates such as the U.S. Forest Service Sensitive Species and Wilderness Areas programs. In conjunction with state species management objectives for native cutthroat trout, these federal mandates make protection and enhancement of their habitat both high profile and high priority within these federal agencies. In Colorado, the Division of Wildlife and National Park Service have placed the highest priority on protection of native cutthroat trout populations. The Division of Wildlife has implemented regulations consistent with its Statewide Fish Management Policy and Whirling Disease Policy. These regulations prevent the stocking of non-native salmonids in CRCT populations, and minimize their exposure to WD and other diseases through stocking restrictions and rigorous disease testing of wild and hatchery salmonid populations. Threats to depletion of stream flow regimes are reduced through filing for minimum instream flow rights with the Colorado Water Conservation Board. As of 1996, 7,255 stream miles in 1,222 stream segments are protected by decree, including waters within the Colorado, Gunnison, San Miguel, Yarnpa, White, San Juan and Dolores rivers (CWCB 1996). Regulatory controls of water quality in Colorado are implemented by the Colorado Water Quality Control Division and Commission. Water quality standards are already in place to protect the maintenance of aquatic life in coldwater environments, and special resource restrictions are also available to provide further site-specific protection to water quality. In Wyoming, the State Division of Environmental Quality implements water quality regulations and controls. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has submitted instream flow filings for 29 stream segments (103 miles) to protect stream flows for CRCT. In March .1999 17