7281 ‎(2)‎

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7281
• Author: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Title: Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin, Environmental Assessment, November 1987.
• USFW Year: 1987.
• USFW - Doc Type: Denver, Colorado.
• Copyright Material: NO

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CHAPTER II ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION
4. monitor the status of these fish, as funds permit, and
5. conduct recovery actions, as funds permit. ,
This analysis assumes that the "No Action" alternative would be funded at an
average level of $1.2 million per year over the next 15 years. The Service
contribution is assumed to continue at $600,000/year and the States'
contribution is assumed to continue at $200,000/year. As consultation is ,
completed on major Federal facilities (Flaming Gorge Dam, Aspinall Unit) and
conducted on smaller Federal facilities in the future, Reclamation's
contribution is expected to diminish over the next 15 years as follows:
$1.5 million/year in 1987 and 1988, $0.5 million/year in 1989-1991, and '
$150,000/year in 1992-2001. This averages out to $400,000/year for
Reclamation's contribution.
A description of the "No Action" alternative follows: '
1. Conduct Section 7 consultation on proposed water projects.
Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act requires each Federal '
agency to insure that their actions are not likely to jeopardize the
continued existence of any endangered species. If an agency action
is likely to jeopardize listed species, the Service suggests
reasonable and prudent alternatives to the action, if available.
Alternatives are developed on a case-by-case basis, and address
depletion impacts (such as flow reductions and corresponding changes
in temperature, salinity, and turbidity) and nondepletion impacts
(such as obstructions to migration routes, alteration of physical
habitat, construction, inundation, or temperature modification from
reservoir releases).
Future Section 7 consultation will be conducted in the manner of
present-day Section 7 consultation. Service alternatives will be

based on what is known at the time of consultation of endangered '
fishes habitat requirements in the area of impact, an assessment of
impacts expected from project construction and operation (including
"
"
reasonable and prudent
cumulative impacts), and selection of a
alternative that takes into account project purpose, planned
operation, and resources. In seeking reasonable and prudent
alternatives, the Service will continue to suggest measures to avoid

or compensate for adverse impacts. A variety of measures will be '
investigated, including (but not limited to) changing the timing,
amount, or location of diversions, providing offsetting flows from

reservoir reoperation or storage, building fish passage structures, '
conducting research studies to collect critical information on
habitat requirements of endangered fish in affected reaches, and/or
improving habitat. In addition, the Service anticipates that '
monetary contributions for research and recovery measures will be
used as a reasonable and prudent alternative for small-volume
depletions, but only when other reasonable and prudent alternatives

cannot be developed for those projects. However, even with this '

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