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Vegetation. Riverine wetlands will develop as floodplain ponds drain after the spring runoff. Productive wetlands would be more beneficial for diversity of flora and fauna than gravel-pit ponds that are relatively sterile. Fish and Wildlife Resources. Connecting floodplain ponds with the rivers along the Upper Colorado and Gunnison rivers will be beneficial to the productivity of zooplankton and benthic organisms that are required by the early life stages of fish and food organisms for various shorebirds and waterfowl. These small organisms will drift out of embayments created from the floodplain ponds and serve as a source of food for early life stages of fish that inhabit the embayments or backwater habitats on the river. It is anticipated that some nonnative fishes will be controlled partially by the annual draining of such, ponds. No major adverse impacts should result to wildlife species under this alternative. Endangered Species. It is expected that reconnection of floodplain ponds with the river, allowing the river to function more like a natural riverine environment, will be beneficial for food and habitat of the early life stages of the endangered fishes. Survival during the early life stages of the endangered fishes is very low but is expected to increase if food of the proper sizes and abundance is available to them during their critical early life period. Socio-Economic Factors. Floodplain ponds will be reconnected with the rivers only with the full cooperation and consent of landowners so that no adverse sociological problems are anticipated. Acquisition of floodplain properties under the Recovery Program habitat element would generate income for private 1 andowners that would be reimbursed a fai r market value for such use. Therefore, no adverse impacts to economics is expected to occur. E. Alternative 5 - Fill Gravel-Pit Ponds Upon Completion of Gravel Mining Operations. Under this alternative, gravel-pit ponds in the floodplain of the Colorado and Gunnison rivers would be filled upon completion of new gravel mining operations. Suitable fill would be hauled from off-site locations. Filling of gravel-pit ponds would not be done under existing gravel mining permits. No impacts are expected on Indian trust assets or environmental justice under this alternative. Vegetation and Land Use. Native vegetation could be replanted on reclaimed 1 and under th i s alternative so that the area woul d be "restored" to natural - like conditions. Fish and Wildlife Resources. All animal species that depend upon water would be adversely affected while terrestrial animals would benefit from pond reclamation under this alternative. Endangered Species. The endangered Colorado River fishes would benefit under this alternative because chronic escapement of nonnative fishes would stop from reclaimed ponds. Therefore, predation upon and competition with 25