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<br />ATTACHMENTB <br /> <br />SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR THE REQUE&TED APPRQPRlATION TO PROTECT T;HE <br />NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE BLACl{ (,;ANYON OF THE GUNNISON <br />NATIONAL PARK TO A REASONABLE DEgIQ;E <br /> <br />. <br /> <br /> <br />5/09,2003 16:08 FAX 2022084684 <br />, <br /> <br />A/S FISH/WILDLIFE/PARK <br /> <br />~005 <br /> <br />The Black Canyon and Gunnison Gorge offer a variety of natural and geologic features and <br />, unsurpassed recreational opportunities. The Gunnison River and its Black Canyon represent one <br />of the most spectacular gorges in the world. Formed by the;action of water and rock scouring <br />down through hard, crystalline rock, this unique and impressive landscape is unparalleled. No <br />other canyon in North America combines the narrowness, sj1eer walls, and startling depths <br />offered by the Black Canyon and Gunnison Gorge. The river, entirely incised into granitic <br />basement rock, drops an average of 43 feet per mile, with local drops as great as 240 feet per <br />mile. <br /> <br />The river corridor provides an excellent opportunity to obs~rve the geologic transition from the <br />towering black walls of Black Canyon ofthe Gunnison Na1:lonal Park to the dramatic double- <br />canyon system found in the Gunnison Gorge Wilderness. According to Wallace Hansen, noted <br />geologist with the US Geological Survey, nowhere in the world is Precambrian rock better <br />exposed for viewing than in the walls and canyon floor of tlJ,e Gunnison Gorge. The Canyon and <br />Gorge contain outstanding examples of faulting, pegmatite'formations intruded by quartz-rich <br />dykes, and geologic time gaps', termed unconformities; the rock formations, pinnacles, and <br />vertical walls reflect more than 1.7 billion years of geologic history. .' <br /> <br />The steep gradient of the Gunnison River and the depth anli narrowness of the Black Canyon and <br />Gunnison Gorge act as a physical barrier to the migration Qf fish, plants, and animals. This has <br />resulted in a diversity of plant and animal species (several of which are rare, endangered, or <br />unique to the area), and a diverse group of isolated biologipal communities that provide unique <br />opportunities for scientific study. The canyon supports a rich variety of wildlife, including <br />regionally important populations of river otter (Lutra canadensis), mule deer (Odocoileus <br />hemionus), elk (Cervus e/aphus), bighorn sheep (Ovis can'adensis), wintering bald eagle <br />(Haliaeetus leucocephalus), ferruginous hawk (Buteo regqlis), osprey (Pandion haliaetus), and <br />peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). It is home to one o~the finest trout fisheries in the world <br />and is designated Gold Medal Water and Wild Trout Wat~ by the Colorado Division of Wildlife <br />(CDOW), indicating a self-sustaining, high quality rainbow and brown trout fishery. <br /> <br />In addition to the excellent recreational opportunities for sightseeing, hiking, camping, and <br />solitude provided by the river conidor's designation as wilderness, the river provides outstanding <br />opportunities for whitewater boaters, float anglers, and walk-in anglers. The river conidor <br />provides commercial usage for whitewater rafting companies and licensed fishing guides. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />1 <br />