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Page 10 minimum flows in mainchannel and larger tributary environments for the benefit of endangered fish could lead to greater use of tributary waters in the future to make up for reductions in mainstem diversions, thus potentially jeopardizing persistence of the three species. Additional endangered species recovery programs throughout the range of the three species are implementing activities that will likely indirectly benefit the three species; please reference the state plans of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming for this information. Benefits of the three species project Conservation of the three species will likely require habitat protection, water acquisition, and management of nonnative fish communities. Together, these conservation actions will also benefit the general public as a whole as conservation is directed towards maintenance of functionally healthy riparian ecosystems and prevention of listing under the Endangered Species Act. Fischer et aI. (2000) cite multiple beneficial ecosystem functions resulting from healthy, functional riparian areas, including improved water quality, erosion control, and reduced flood peaks (O'Laughlin and Belt 1995), all of which have been shown to provide substantial benefit~ to human populations. Additionally, keeping regulatory authority in the hands of state, county, and local governments through the prevention of federal listing will ensure that conservation efforts can proceed more fluidly without economic hardship or conflict that may accompany regulatory protection of species. Voluntary cooperation between stakeholders and managers is thought to be more likely to occur in this atmosphere than in the more restrictive scenario engendered by listing. Certainty of Implementation: Staffing, Authority, and Funding Pursuant to the federal Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts (PECE) guidelines, the Division acknowledges the need to demonstrate a degree of certainty that this Plan will be implemented and will be effective in preventing the need for listing the three species. Staffing Personnel from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources' (Division) Native Aquatics Program will implement aspects of this Plan. Within the Division, three full time employees are tasked with various types of administrative three species tasks such as procuring funding, planning conservation activities in coordination with regional offices, completing conservation documents and proposals with input from regional offices, and performing other administrative duties necessary to implement the Plan. Regional and Division field offices are located in St. George, Moab, Ogden, Price, and VemaI. These offices include at least one and as many as three full time employees charged with developing work plans for implementing this Plan. Funds are regularly made available for seasonal help to complete fieldwork. Authority Some cooperative opportunities with other agencies that hold management responsibilities for the land and water immediately surrounding these species' habitats have been established; others are being pursued at this time. These core managers are currently meeting at least twice a year, once to discuss range-wide priorities and once to discuss statewide priorities. These agencies are committed to providing consistent representation to this "Three Species Conservation Team" (Team) and to working towards conservation of these three species and have the authority to do so as outlined in Appendix B. In the future, as more specific conservation and management actions are identified and