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CHAPTER II The Pr 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION oposed Action is composed of five recovery elements: Habitat management Habitat development and maintenance Stocking of rare fish species Nonnative fish species and sportfishing Research, monitoring, and data management ' The Coordinating Committee which developed the program recommended that each element be fully implemented. This means that the Recovery Implementation Committee will fully investigate all actions described in the Proposed Action and members will implement those actions shown to be necessary and effective. For example, a new hatchery for rearing rare fishes will not be constructed unless the research program confirms that hatchery-reared fish will survive and reproduce successfully in the wild, and existing facilities are inadequate to produce fish needed for stocking projects. The Proposed Action is a dynamic agenda. Although a variety of future actions are described, few actions are defined in detail. The majority of the actions are nonspecific with regard to location, degree, and timing of implementation. They will become specific only after further research is completed and the i Recovery Implementation Committee determines the most appropriate course of action. Site-specific National Environmental Policy Act documents will be completed, as appropriate. The basic components of the Proposed Action are summarized below. A complete description may be found in "Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin," available as a separate document. Additional information on the relative priority, cost, and scope of various program actions can be found therein. ' 1. Habitat management. Recovery cannot be accomplished without permanent assurance of sufficient flows and habitat. Water and water rights for instream flows must be acquired to meet that purpose. Under the Proposed Action, instream flow needs will be determined, then appropriated or acquired from various sources in a manner consistent with State law, as follows: ' The Service will identify habitat and flow needs of the rare fishes through research efforts in sensitive reaches. The Recovery Implementation Committee will decide on the best means to provide the flows, and recommend such to the Secretary to implement. Water will be acquired as needed on a site-specific basis pursuant to State law. The Secretary will not condemn water rights nor acquire water from other than a willing seller. Possible sources of water include: ' (a) Allocating and releasing water from new and existing water storage projects, (b) Refining operations at existing and new Federal reservoirs, II-5