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Other endangered species directly supported by the Gunnison River flow regime are the bald eagle and southwestern willow flycatcher. Effects have not been analyzed; however, there are no readily apparent significant impacts. Recreation and Public Safety Blue Mesa Reservoir is the center of the Curecanti National Recreation Area and provides recreation to over 1 million visitors annually. Activities include boating, fishing, sightseeing, and hiking. Because of difficult access, Morrow Point and Crystal receive far less use. Water levels at Blue Mesa Reservoir are a significant factor in the recreation experience both from an aesthetic and a fishery standpoint. Generally, higher reservoir levels are more conducive to recreation, aesthetics, and fish production. Throughout most of the recreation season, the desired NPS flows would reduce average water surface elevations by 2 to 3 feet, although at the beginning of the recreation season in May, levels would average higher. In dry to average water years, operating to meet the NPS desired flows can result in Blue Mesa storing 30,000 to 100,000 acre-feet less than under the baseline conditions. The National Park is a major tourist attraction with sightseeing being the most important activity. The Black Canyon is one of the nation's foremost wild canyons, with canyon walls rising precipitously 2,000 or more feet above the Gunnison River. Most recreation activity occurs along the canyon rims; use of the inner river canyon is limited by difficult access and dangerous conditions. Fishing use of the river in the Park is concentrated near the eastern end which is accessible by vehicle. Floating through the Park is limited to a small handful of people annually and is very technical and dangerous. The river can be crossed by wading at 300-500+ cfs to give anglers easier access in the canyon. Increased minimum flow periods under the NPS desired flow model runs would allow more frequent river crossing, but overall no significant effect on recreation in the Park would be expected under any of the model runs. Downstream from the Park on Bureau of Land Management lands, river access, while still limited, is easier and rafting and fishing are major activities. The Gold Medal fishery and remote canyon setting provide a unique recreation experience. Optimum wade fishing occurs at around 700-800 cfs, with 300-1,500 being good. Optimum raft fishing is around 800 cfs, with an acceptable range of 600-1,500 cfs. Recreational rafting and kayaking have a wider range of boatable flows. Flows of 600 to 1,800 cfs provide a very high quality experience. Below 500 cfs the river becomes more technical and dangerous and above 6,000 cfs the river becomes very dangerous. Days with flows under 500 cfs would increase by approximately 25 percent under the NPS desired flow model runs, and days with flows above 5,000 cfs would approximately double, both reducing river related recreation downstream from the Park. The Bureau of Land Management and Colorado Division of Wildlife should review the hydrology results to thoroughly evaluate recreation effects. 11