9318

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9318
• Author: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Title: Procedures for Stocking Nonnative Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin.
• USFW Year: 1996.
• USFW - Doc Type: Denver.
• Copyright Material: NO

H. FISH AND WILDLIFE
The UCRIP for endangered tish is in its ninth year of implementation. The
UCRIP is a cooperative effort involving the states of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming;
representatives from the environmental and water user communities; and the
Colorado River Energy Distributors Association, Western Area Power Administration,
Fish and Wildlife Service and Reclamation. The intent of the program is to recover
the listed Colorado River endangered fish species while the Basin states continue
to develop their compact entitlements.
In fiscal year 1998, research projects funded totaled almost 53 million.
Also in fiscal year 1998, capital projects totaling almost S8 million were initiated,
in addition to the research effort, to accomplish physical habitat improvements.
To date, capital project construction and acquisition of land has been
funded primarily through appropriated non-reimbursable construction dollars.
Reclamation is seeking cost sharing from non-federal and other sources, To address
this issue, UCRIP and SJRRIP participants have developed legislation through a
series of negotiations. The legislation will provide additional authority for
expenditures and set both dollar and time limits on the program. The bill was
introduced in 1998, but Congress adjourned prior to taking action on the bill. The
legislation should be reintroduced to Congress in March of 1999.
Other UCRIP studies were completed in 1998 on the Green River to monitor
the effects of the recommendations made in the 1992 Biological Opinion on the
Operation of Flaming Gorge Dam and to refine those recommendations. The studies
included a series of test flows designed to simulate a wide range of hydrologic
conditions. Specific research on the effects of the operation of the Aspinall Unit
will be completed in 1998. Integrated reports are being produced to provide a
compilation of past research efforts and to analyze endangered fish needs identified
by the individual studies. The Flaming Gorge integrated report is now under peer
review. Consultation on the operation of the Aspinall Unit is expected to move
forward upon completion of the research and issuance of permanent flow
recommendations by the Fish and Wildlife Service. Efforts are still ongoing to
acquire water rights for endangered fish on the Yampa River and 15-mile Reach of
the Colorado River from the confluence of the Gunnison River to the Grand Valley
Diversion. A draft programmatic biological opinion is currently being reviewed and
is scheduled to be completed by mid-year. This biological opinion relies on the
UCRIP as the reasonable and prudent alternative to provide ESA compliance for all
historic depletions in the reach, plus provide for additional water development.
As a result of the 1991 biological opinion on the Animas-La Plata Project,
the Secretary of the Interior signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the states
of Colorado, Utah and New Mexico and affected Native American tribes for the
development of a recovery program for the San Juan River. The goal of the SJRRIP
is to protect and recover the native fish communities in the San Juan River, while
providing for continued water development consistent with state and federal laws.
Reclamation and the BIA committed to fund research starting in fiscal year 1992 on
the San Juan River as a condition of the reasonable and prudent alternative for the
Animas-La Plata Project biological opinion and' for Blocks 7 and 8 of the NIIP.
63