9387

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9387
• Author: Brookshire, D. S., M. McKee and S. Stewart.
• Title: A Four Corners Regional Focus on the Economic Impact of Critical Habitat Designation for teh Razorback Sucker, Humpback Chub, Colorado Squawfish, and Bonytail.
• USFW Year: 1997.
• USFW - Doc Type: Albuquerque.
• Copyright Material: NO

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B. Direct Impacts Incorporated in the WIT Model
The "with fish" (WF) scenario was constructed using the hydrology, flow quantity, and timing
needs of the protected fish as detailed in Maddux et al. (1993). The WF scenario is constructed
on the premise that the river is to be managed so as to foster recovery of the fishes and includes
the timing of water releases and flow quantities that are consistent with the needs of the
endangered fishes. This necessarily means that less water will be available for development.
Projects that have yet to receive section 7 consultation and those with lower marginal economic
value were assumed to be forgone in favor of those that have potentially higher economic value
and have received or are expected to receive section 7 approval. 14 However, outcomes of future
section 7 consultations may change based on information collected as part of the San Juan
Recovery Implementation Program. This report in no way attempts to prejudge the outcome of
future section 7 consultations.
The WF scenario represents an upper bound scenario in that it assumes that the highest-valued
uses are the first to go when water project components are forgone due to flow modifications to
protect endangered fishes. The actual response to the listing may incorporate different strategies,
including allocating water to higher-valued uses first, thus foregoing only plans for low-value
uses.
14 With the exception of future construction for the Animas-La Plata Project, no detailed descriptions of any
anticipated project (NIIP 9-11 or San Juan-Gallup Pipeline) have been supplied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
for review that we are aware of. Thus, it is impossible to predict the outcome of any consultation requested for these
future uses of San Juan River water. Similarly, no prediction can be made as to the progress toward recovery of the listed
fishes in the San Juan River. It is such recovery that would allow additional water development to occur. It should be
noted that several factors other than water depletion may influence the finding of a biological opinion in section 7
consultation. Particularly with respect to large irrigation projects in the San Juan Basin, the potential to inadvertently
increase the levels and availability of selenium may be a determining factor in assessing the impacts of a proposed
project and whether such a project resulted in jeopardy to a species or adverse modification of its critical habitat.
Although the predictions of future water development provided herein and the possible effects to those projects caused
by protection measures implemented on behalf of the endangered fish are based upon the best available information,
this analysis is in no way a predetermination of what the outcomes of future section 7 consultations may be.
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