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00 0104, ON 11! 4M IWO, W` W i SWAMIN! am Owosso NO Agreement between the Colorado and the U.S. Department of the Interior on conserving declining species, CDOW regulations in Chapter 1 (Fishing) and Chapter 10 (Endangered Species Conservation), and interstate conservation and recovery plans for Colorado River cutthroat trout and boreal toad. All of the recommended strategies and options serve to promote one or more objectives within these major documents. Wild trout fisheries are emphasized within the basin as the preferred management approach for recreational fisheries in the smaller mountain streams and include over 1,200 stream miles. Most of these fisheries are based on nonnative brook and brown trout populations. Conservation of Colorado River cutthroat trout and associated fisheries will also rely on wild, genetically pure, self- sustaining populations of this native trout and almost 200 stream miles are currently targeted for management or restoration. Interconnected stream populations (metapopulations) of Colorado River cutthroat trout will be emphasized in the South Fork of the Little Snake River, the South and Middle Forks of the Williams Fork of the Yampa River, and in the Elkhead Creek drainages. Other Colorado River cutthroat trout populations will managed for in the Elk River and Slater Creek drainages. All streams and high lakes supporting self-sustaining wild trout populations are coinsidered candidates for restoration with native cutthroat trout populations. Conservation of native, warmwater fish species of special concern such as the roundtail chub, flannelmouth sucker, and bluehead sucker; and recovery of federally-listed fish species such as Colorado squawfish and humpback chub as part of the Colorado River Endangered Fishes Recovery Program are also emphasized in the Yampa Basin. The Lower Yampa River below the Williams Fork confluence and the Lower Little Snake River serve as important riverine habitat for sustaining populations of all these species and are managed explicitly and primarily for conservation of the native fish community. Management actions are targeted at protecting these existing populations by controlling potentially negative impacts from introduced fish species. Boreal toad conservation efforts to protect existing populations are focused within the Upper Yampa and Elk River drainages. Inventories for potential boreal toad populations and breeding/nursery pond habitats are targeted within these drainages and recommended in the Trout Creek, Williams Fork, Elkhead, Upper Little Snake River, and Slater Creek drainages. The intent of managing waters within the Intensive and Optimum Management categories is to maximize recreational fishing opportunity and quality within this subset of the basin's aquatic resources. Though warmwater fishing recreation opportunity is relatively limited in physical resources available in the basin, recommendations have been made to maintain and enhance warmwater fishing within the constraints of the Nonnative Fish Stocking Procedures. Warmwater fishing may be best enhanced using local incentives, Fishing is Fun federal grant support, and cooperative agreements with private landowners with suitable ponds or DRAFT - January 13, 1998 iii