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Colorado to deliver water from the Aspinall Unit to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument. The operation was coordinated with the National Park Service, State of Colorado and the Service and others interest- ed in the operation of the Aspinall Unit. For water year 1996 operations, Blue Mesa Reservoir will be drawn down to at least an elevation of 7490.0 feet by December 31, 1995 in order to minimize icing problems in the Gunnison River. Blue Mesa will continue to be drawn down through April 1996 to a level that will accommodate the most current probable inflow scenario and accomplish the release objectives with minimum powerplant bypasses. The minimum release objective of the unit is to meet the delivery require- ments of the Uncompahgre Valley Project and to keep a minimum of 300 cfs flowing through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument. Under the most probable and the maximum probable inflow scenarios, Blue Mesa is expected to fill in the summer of 1996, and flows through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument are expected to be above the minimum release objective during the summer months. The filling of the reservoir next year will ensure that reasonable specific releases required to study the protection and improvement of habitat for endangered fish can be accommodated. The forecast runoff for the spring of 1996 will be monitored to achieve these objectives. To protect the blue ribbon trout fishery in the Black Canyon and maximize recreation potential, releases during 1996 will be planned to minimize large fluctuations in the daily and monthly flows. I. FISH AND WILDLIFE The Upper Colorado River Recovery Implementation Program (UC RIP) for endangered fish is in its seventh year of implementation. In fiscal year 1995, research projects /funded totaled almost $3 million. In fiscal year 1995, capital projects totaling almost $10 million were initiated to accomplish physical habitat improvements. Other UC RIP studies are continuing on the Green River to monitor effects of the recommendations made in the 1992 Biological Opinion for Flaming Gorge Reservoir and to refine the recommendations at the end of a five-year research period. These studies include a series of test flows designed to simulate a wide range of hydrologic conditions. Specific research on the effects of the operation of the Aspinall Unit will continue in 1995. Consul- tation on the operation of the Aspinall Unit is expected to be initiated in five years. Efforts are still ongoing to acquire water rights for endangered fish on the Yampa and 1 5-mile reach of the Colorado River from the confluence of the Gunnison River to the Grand Valley Diversion. &6