Public Meeting on Critical Habitat for Colorado River Fish

• Description: Public Meeting on Critical Habitat for Colorado River Fish
• State: CO
• Date: 7/12/1994
• Title: Public Meeting on Critical Habitat for Colorado River Fish
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Meeting

impacts of new developments in critical habitat such as from dams,
diversions, riprap, jetties and gravel mines that directly impact
critical habitat. Such actions will be addressed through the section 7
consultation process.
Q. What changes will be needed to the Recovery Action Plan to address
critical habitat?
A. The Service has recommended changes to the Recovery Action Plan to
provide more definition and certainty to actions to restore and protect
the primary constituent elements (water, physical habitat and biological
environment) determined necessary for survival and recovery of the four
endangered fish species. For example, the Service has recommended that
the Recovery Program begin removing northern pike from the Yampa River
and commit all remaining water in Ruedi Reservoir to endangered fish
after current water sales to municipal and industrial users are
completed.
In addition, the Service has recommended adding several new items to the
Recovery Action Plan to address the cumulative impacts of existing
riprap, jetties, gravel mines and activities that directly impact the
flood plain and river channel within critical habitat. These items
include developing a basin -wide flood plain protection strategy and
developing and implementing viable options for restoring or protecting
the flood plain in Colorado's Grand Valley and Utah's Ashley Valley. Such
options include flood plain easements, incentive programs and zoning
regulations. The Service would rely on these types of Recovery Program
accomplishments in section 7 consultations dealing with the maintenance
of existing structures in the Grand Valley or Ashley Valley.
The proposed schedule for modifying the Recovery Action Plan to address
critical habitat is as follows:
May 20: Recovery Program reviews and responds to the Service's
proposed changes to the Recovery Action Plan.
June 3: The Service publishes in the Federal Register draft changes
to the Recovery Action Plan.
Aug. 10: Recovery Program reviews public comments and makes final
changes to the Recovery Action Plan.
Aug. 15: Changes to the Recovery Action Plan are finalized.
Q. How will the critical habitat designation affect private property?
A. First, there must be a Federal action associated with a project for it to
involve critical habitat. The Service recognizes the need to protect
private property and to implement the Endangered Species Act with the
least impact on any individual landowner. If a Corps of Engineers permit
were needed, the Service would review the project and, to the extent
possible, try to find ways to reduce its impact on endangered fish. For