Briefing Paper to Accompany the Proposed Upper Colorado River and San Juan River Endangered Fish Recovery Act of 1997

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1996 Annual Report . , RECOVERY PRC�RAM FOR THE ENDANGERED FISHES OF THE UPPER COLORALT) The Recovery Program for Endangered Fish of the Upper Colorado River Basin is aimed at recovering the endangered Colorado squawfish, razoback sucker, bonytail and humpback chub while allowing for future water development. Photo by Kathy Fenton The Redlands Fish Ladder, the narrow, U- shaped channel that wraps around the dam, was completed in 1996, opening up 50 miles of historic range to endangered and native fish in the Gunnison River. The year in review In the past year, decision- makers in the Upper Colorado River Recovery Program have continued to push for progress on projects that can demonstrate tangible results for endangered fish. "We have continued to emphasize on- the- ground projects, including acquiring in- stream flows, preserving flood plain habitats, constructing hatchery facilities, stocking endangered fish and completing the Redlands Fish Ladder, while also involving the public in these issues," said Acting Program Director Angela Kantola. "If these efforts are any indication, we are making progress toward recovering the four endangered fish species and may be helping to keep several other native fish from becoming endangered" For example, between June and October last year, the Redlands Fish Ladder enabled one endangered fish and more than 7,700 other native fish to migrate upstream in the Gunnison River. "Our goal is to recover fish that are endangered," Kantola said. "But our work also should benefit other native fish and wildlife and the health of the river itself." Recovery Program accomplishments ■ For the first time ever, biologists have documented that Colorado squawfish spawned in the upper Gunnison River. And for the first time since 1982, researchers documented similar spawning of squawfish in the Grand Valley stretch of the Colorado River. ■ Biologists have discovered newborn razorback suckers near the confluence of the Green and San Rafael rivers in Utah. This finding suggests that a new or previously unidentified population of this fish may exist. ■ A 350 -foot fish ladder has been built at Redlands Diversion Dam, opening up 50 miles of historical habitat to endan- gered fish. The ladder is on the Gunnison River two miles upstream of the Colorado River confluence. ■ Recovery Program funds were used to purchase a 153 -acre parcel of land on the Colorado River near Grand Junction, Colo. The property is consid- ered extremely valuable for endan- gered fish, providing a diverse array of habitat types including riffles, backwa- ters, pools and side channels. ■ Researchers have made a 132 -acre wetland on the Ouray National Wildlife Refuge in Utah available to endan- gered fish. The wetland is downstream of a key spawning area for razorback suckers, providing newly hatched fish with an ideal area in which to grow. ■The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has stocked 2,000 bonytail in the Colorado River. Bonytail are the rarest of the four endangered fish species. ■ The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has stocked more than 1,000 razorback suckers into the Green River and near- ly 300 of the fish into the Gunnison. ■ An agreement involving the Grand Valley Irrigation Company, Grand Valley Power Plant, Orchard Mesa Irrigation District, Grand Valley Water Users Association and Bureau of Reclamation has made up to 30,000 acre -feet of water available each year to endangered fish in the Colorado River. The Bureau of Reclamation also has made 31,650 acre -feet of water available for release from Ruedi Reservoir to increase flows in this same stretch of river. w Colorado State Parks, the Colorado Water Conservation Board and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service developed an agreement allowing up to 3,300 acre - feet of water to be released annually from Steamboat Lake into the Yampa River, which otherwise can drop as low as 20 cubic feet per second. ■ Federal and state wildlife agencies in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming have finalized guidelines that confine stock- ing of non - native fish to areas where conflict with endangered fish is at a minimum. At the same time, the policy allows widespread stocking of trout and several other non - native fish species in the upper Colorado River Basin. As part of this agreement, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to make 40,000 catchable -size trout available each year for stocking in select public ponds. ■ Hatchery and grow -out facilities for endangered fish have been established at five sites in Colorado and Utah. ■ While working to recover rare fish, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also has allowed city governments, developers, farmers and oil companies to complete some 300 water projects in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, providing 200,000 - plus acre -feet of water for human use and local economic development. • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • PO Box 25486 • Denver, CO 80225 • (303) 236 -2985 • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • U.S. Bureau of Reclamation • Western Area Power Admin. • Colorado • Utah • Wyoming • Environmental Defense Fund • National Audubon Soc. • Colo. Wildlife Federation • Wyo. Wildlife Federation • Colo. Water Congress • Utah Water Users Assoc. • Wyo. Water Development Assoc. • Colo. 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