New Proposal to Expedite Endangered Fish Recovery in the Colorado River

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be able to continue to use and develop water in compliance with the federal Endangered Species Act. Certain mitigation measures are contemplated for existing water uses, and other measures would be tied to the development of an additional 120,000 -acre feet of water in the basin. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would review the status of fish populations after the construction of projects designed to improve fish habitat before 2015, or before 60,000 -acre feet of the additional 120,000 -acre feet of water is developed. The proposal identifies measures such as the short -term storage of water to benefit the endangered fish in the "15 -Mile Reach." Water users would also participate in discussions about voluntary operational changes in existing facilities in the Colorado River basin to benefit the fish. Other measures would include an aggressive program by the Colorado Division of Wildlife to control non - native species that compete with the endangered fish, federal endangered fish stocking programs, and the construction of fish passage structures to provide access to new habitat. Water users will be asked to execute agreements to support the recovery program, and would also support legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Wayne Allard and U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis to provide long -term federal funding to the program. State funding would be provided under H.B. 1006, currently pending before the Colorado legislature. Another significant proposal involves a possible request by some program participants that the Colorado Water Conservation Board withdraw its 1995 instream flow applications for the 15 -Mile Reach. Those applications seek water rights to provide long -term flow protection for the fish. However, the applications have generated intense controversy. Given the debate over these applications, some of the participants concluded that the recovery program should rely on the measures in the proposed biological opinion to protect the fish against flow depletions. Instead, the participants will focus on activities that benefit the species and will explore other means to protect flows for the endangered fish. However, withdrawing the instream flow applications and failing to obtain meaningful instream flows would create a new dilemma for program participants. The permanent dedication of water to protect the fish is viewed as being essential to their recovery and eventual delisting. Water needs to remain dedicated to the fish long after