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zoning) is needed. Recovery Program participants were not sure exactly <br />how such mechanisms might be implemented, so an issue paper on <br />restoration and protection of the floodplain has been developed. The issue <br />paper first addressed what restoration and protection measures are needed <br />and then how they might be accomplished. After completion of the issue <br />paper, viable options were identified and a restoration strategy developed <br />for selected geographic areas (e.g. Grand Valley and Ashley Valley). <br />Floodplain restoration activities may be implemented by the Recovery <br />Program or by Recovery Program participants individually. Responsibilities <br />of other agencies were identified in the issue paper, and actions were <br />implemented consistent with authorities outside the Recovery Program. <br />The Recovery Program has been evaluating agricultural diversion structures <br />in the Yampa River and has discovered that although not all of these <br />structures impede Colorado pikeminnow passage, annual bulldozing in <br />critical habitat in the river required to maintain many of these structures may <br />destroy or adversely modify fish habitat. Upgrading these structures so that <br />they are more secure would eliminate the need for annual bulldozing and <br />consequent adverse modification of critical habitat. <br />C. Fish passage structures are planned for a number of diversion dams in the <br />Upper Basin in the current RIPRAP. However, without screens or <br />"entrainment preclusion structures," adult fish, especially razorback sucker, <br />may go into the diversion canals. To keep fish in the more secure river <br />habitat, a modification was made to include an entrainment preclusion <br />structure on the proposed passage structure at the Grand Valley Project <br />diversion (Roller Dam). Also, the need for an entrainment preclusion <br />structure at Redlands diversion dam will be evaluated after construction of <br />the fish ladder there. <br />Reduction of Negative Impacts of Nonnative Fishes and Sportfish Management <br />Activities: Modifications were made under this recovery element to protect the <br />constituent element of the fishes biological environment. <br />a. Competition with and predation by introduced species is widely assumed to <br />have played a role in the decline of the endangered fishes. The Recovery <br />Program has been and continues to assess options to reduce negative <br />impacts of problematic nonnative species, sportfish management, and <br />angling mortality. Although we cannot yet fully predict the results of <br />implementing some of these management options, we need to begin to <br />implement the most viable ones. Therefore, actions have been added to <br />implement (in cooperation with the States) viable measures which will <br />decrease negative impacts of certain nonnative fishes, sportfish <br />management, and angling mortality. Specific actions were added to <br />A -3 <br />