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dv ! CY ~~QV.1 ti \~ tI~ Sportfishing Management, and Research, Monitoring, and Data Management (Rose N 2w~~~1 and Hamill 1988). 1 Provision of Instream Flows t ~5~~1~1~s~-~- ~,~,~ Viable populations of Colorado River fishes must be,~maintained to allow recovery to proceed. This can only be accomplished by providing habitat that is suitable for them. Of first consideration is provision and maintenance of instream flows of the proper quality, timing, duration, and magnitude. These flows must be delivered to the proper locations to satisfy the life history requirements of the various fishes. The attainment of sufficient quantities of water requires determination of instream flow needs so that water can be provided, acquired, or appropriated. However, flows needed for the fishes may potentially affect water resources allocations among and between, the United States, Mexico, and the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New -- Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Because of this, flow recommendations must be scientifically defensible if they are to be accepted by various agencies. In the Green River, the operation of large reservoirs upstream of endangered fish habitat can aid in providing needed instream flows. The Bureau of Reclamation and the Fish and Wildlife Service have been cooperating in studies designed to evaluate the impacts upon the endangered fishes associated with operation of Flaming Gorge Dam. These studies, performed under interagency agreements pursuant to Section 7 of the ESA have resulted in recommendations for the operation of the dam to offset impacts on the fishes. These include seasonal flow and non-flow related recommendations that have been developed from analysis and interpretation of about 10 years of empirical data (Tyus and Karp 1991). I ~hese recommendations wil_1_ be implemented -or-i-£ further work is~eeded-.be-fir-e a ~ J~ l ~• LOS ~ ~' ~ ~' waa~d--be-cfra~ge~: ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~--~ ~ ~j~ ~~ gars t S o ~ z , -~u ~; n t~ ; S y c L ~s ~ K- ~° f ~~ ~~ The appropriation, or acquisition of water rights is needed to provide a~~ instream flows for recovery, and to offset impacts associated with continuing ~ 21~~z}"~ water development. The first three areas that have been targeted for ~ appropriating water include the Yampa River, a 15-mile reach of the Upper Colorado River, and the White River. Flow recommendations '~~"'~"~ ' for endangered fishes in the Yampa and upper Colorado River --a..~~o ~ were presented by Tyus and Karp(1989) and Kaeding and Osmundson (1989). T-hese- r~ pp 11 j~ do~ooo A~ ~ w2~er ~t y¢~~`7 4'~e~~~\ ~ ~-~( ~~'T~bv... hv2dl F-~Se~vO~/ ~p• ~Q~-~~ ow YC~<o~rnJY.EH.~~io.rs ~v-~~t ~S- M11E- Y'QZC~Y- hW,~l-'~~G Habitat Development and Maintenance Development and maintenance of new habitats, and provision of access to / new areas are considered a priority recovery goal by USFWS (1987). One category includes the application of experimental techniques to existing areas ~ to determine if artificially created habitats will be acceptable for use. , This includes construction of artificial spawning channels, or conversion of existing (but not currently suitable) stream areas to spawning habitats, construction of nursery habitats, and others. Another category (e.g., construction of fish passageways) would include opening up new areas, or restoring access to other areas that may be blocked by dams, diversions, etc. rl ~ C c~v~- l ~ ~ ~ 1 a w Pc ~ v~S 1'~,2V'n ` ~~?~~lA'~lo"~ ~C.Ye~ 5 S~r.rC~t--~ mkla~ W2 Qi Y~G~~S ~v,. Inc ~z~ d ~w~- ~~ h' J~ 5~tt~C~ Q~a,c~S A^rL c~r~'e~-~"1 / '~Qi.,- ~v2'`~~~'¢ 1