8169b

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 8169b
• Author: Brookshire, D. S., M. McKee and G. Watts.
• Title: Draft Economic Analysis of Proposed Critical Habitat Designation in the Colorado River Basin for the RRazorback Sucker, Humpback Chub, Colorado Squawfish, and Bonytail.
• USFW Year: 1993.
• USFW - Doc Type: \
• Copyright Material: NO

Volume II
Chapter 1: Overview of Analysis
A. Overview
This volume describes the methods and results of an analysis of the combined economic
impacts of listing and critical habitat designation for four endangered Colorado River fishes:
the razorback sucker, the Colorado squawfish, the humpback chub, and the bonytail. Both
species listing and designating critical habitat provide protection for endangered fish and
form the basis for recovery efforts mandated by the Endangered Species Act (Act). The Act
also requires consideration of economic impacts in.designating critical habitat, but such
considerations are not allowable as criteria for species listing. As a result, it is necessary to
separate the economic consequences of the two forms of protection. The incremental impacts
of critical habitat designation are also computed and presented.
The approach taken in this economic analysis of proposed critical habitat designations for
endangered Colorado River fishes was first to estimate the combined economic effects of
listing and critical habitat designation, and then to allocate the effects to the two forms of
protection. This volume of the report describes the combined economic analysis and the
allocation process.
The process for designating critical habitat for the razorback sucker, the bonytail, the
humpback chub, and the Colorado squawfish (referred to collectively as Colorado River
endangered fishes in this document) consists of three major steps. The first step is to
complete a biologically-based determination of potential critical habitat areas. This step
provides an inventory of areas needed for the survival and recovery of the species. For the
razorback sucker, the biological determination was based on the primary constituent elements
and additional selection criteria determined by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS). These constituent elements and additional selection criteria were then applied
throughout the historic range of the razorback sucker. For the bonytail, the humpback chub,
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