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Chapter 4— Eligibility Determination <br />4.l Colorado Rivcr (Mup J.5) <br />Colorado River, Segment I <br />Location/Description: E3LM sections of the Colorado River cast of Grand Junction. This segment <br />stretches from the eastern boundary of the planning area northeast of Del3eque to the Grand <br />Valley Diversion Dam, northeast of Palisade. <br />1'otal Segment Length: 17.76 miles <br />Segment Length on BI.M Land: 7.32 miles <br />Description and Justification of Outstandingly Remarkable Valucs: <br />Scenic <br />As DeBeyue Canyon was Formed by the down cutting of the Colorado River, a wide, <br />relatively gentle slopcd canyon through the Mesa Verde I�ormation was created. It is a very <br />different c�nyon than the shear walled canyons formed through Wingate and Gntrada <br />sandstone, such as those found along the Colorado Itiver, Segment 3(Horse[hief�and Ruby <br />Canyons). The majestic views from and along the river are composed of the stair stepped <br />brownish sandstone cliffs intermixed with lightly veget�ted slopes of the canyon in sharp <br />contrast to the riparian vegetation and varied colors near the river. I'requcnt landslides as thc <br />Mesa Verde sandstone is undermined Icad to jumbles of rock along the river, adding to the <br />variety of features along the segment. "I'he river drops scveral hundred feet through the <br />canyon, with extensive views at the upper end of the canyon, yuickly narrowing to views of <br />the superb landscapes of the canyon before opening up again at Ihe bottom [o vicws of the <br />Grand Valley near Palisade. <br />Fish <br />Thc USF WS designatcd critical habitat for the federally endangered Colorado pikeminnow (_ <br />squawfish; Ptychocheilus lucius) and the Razorback sucker (Xyrauchen lernnu.$) in 1994, <br />which includes this stretch of the Colorado River (59 Fed. Reg. 13,374 (1994-3-21). l�hese <br />species are part of the Upper Colorado River Gndangered Fish Recovery Program, a <br />partnership of private and public organizations working to conserve a collcction of fish <br />species while maintaining water development (FWS 2008). <br />Wildlife <br />This segment contains important winter habitat for l3ald E?agles (Hrrlicreeter.s leucoceph�ilus), a <br />State Thrcatened Species in Colorado (Colorado Division of Wildlife [CDOW] 2008). <br />"1'cntativc Classification and Lcvel of Human Activiry: <br />The tentative classitic:�tion for this segment is recreational. Interstate 70 and a railroad run <br />through this canyon and are readily apparent from the river. <br />Wild and Scenic River Eligibility Report, Grand Junction Field Office, Colorado � 6 <br />