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During 1991, flows of over 4,000 cfs were experienced in the Black Canyon as inflows of over 8,000 cfs occurred. To protect the blue ribbon trout fishery in the Black Canyon, releases were carefully planned to minimize large fluctuations in the daily and monthly flows. This was accomplished with only minimal amounts of water bypassing the powerplants at Blue Mesa and Morrow Point. By December of 1992, Blue Mesa Reservoir will be drawn down to at least an elevation of7,495.0 feet in order to minimize icing problems in the Gunnison River. Blue Mesa will continue to be drawn down through April of 1992 to a level that will accommodate the most probable inflow scenario and accomplish the release objectives with a minimum of power plant bypasses. Under all but the most adverse inflow scenarios, Blue Mesa is expected to fill in the summer of 1992. The filling of the reservoir next year will insure that reasonable specific releases required to study the protection and improvement of habitat for endangered fish can be accommodated. The forecasted runoff during the spring of 1992 will be constantly monitored to achieve these objectives. I. FISH AND WILDLIFE The Colorado River Endangered Fishes Recovery Program is in its fourth year of implementation. Approximately 35 projects have been funded for Fiscal Year 1992, totaling almost $2.97 million. Two additional projects were funded under the Drought Assistance Program administered by Reclamation. These two projects are designed to develop refuge ponds on the Green and Colorado Rivers that can be used during drought or low flow conditions, offering protection for the endangered fish of the Colorado River System during these adverse conditions. Research activities initiated in 1991, including the investigation of chemical cues believed to be important in the migration and spawning of several endangered species and the taxonomic status of the three species of chub, will continue in fiscal year 1992. Activities in the area of genetics and propagation of the various stock of Colorado squawfish and razorback sucker also continue to be a high priority. These activities remain the most important in future recovery activities in the Upper Colorado Basin. The Service is expecting to issue a draft opinion on the operation of Flaming Gorge Dam early in January of 1992. The opinion is expected 61