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<br /> <br />Public participation is a hallmark of the Source Water <br />Assessment and Protection Program. The Division <br />expects to work closely with local communities over <br />th~' next few years in addressing each of these four steps. <br /> <br />Threatened and Endangered Species <br />Recent investigations by the Colorado Division of <br />Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have <br />revealed troubling evidence of declining native <br />aquatic species in each of the state's major drainage <br />basins. This indicates an impairment of the aquatic <br />life use, which may necessitate development of total <br />maximum daily loads and implementation of recov- <br />ery plans for these species. Apart from the existing <br />recovery programs for endangered fish in the <br />Colorado River, very little focused research has <br />been done on the specific vulnerabilities of <br />Colorado's native aquatic species to water-quality <br />impacts. The Colorado pike minnow, boneytaH <br />chub, humpback chub, Rio Grande sucker and <br />razorback sucker have been studied extensively in <br />terms of their life histories, habitat needs and vul- <br />nerabilities to a handful of pollutants. Also, there is a <br />large body of chemical toxicity data for rainbow <br />trout, much of which may be applicable to the <br />greenback and Colorado River cutthroat trout. <br /> <br />Relatively little is known about the native warm- <br />water species inhabiting the lower portions of the <br />South Platte, Arkansas and Rio Grande basins. These <br />organisms exist and survive in a milieu of chemical, <br />biological and physical factors. Changes in land and <br />water uses may create conditions in the aquatic <br />environment that are quite foreign to the species <br />that have lived there historically. However, a singular <br />focus 011 the threats to individual species will proba- <br />bly not prove the most productive means of yielding <br />solutions. For long-term solutions, it will be more <br />effective to focus on overall habitat considerations, <br />including riparian zones that sustain the structure of <br />the community. <br /> <br /> <br />For more Information <br /> <br />Please contact the Water Quality Control Division <br />at 303-692-3500 or visit the web page at <br />www.state.co.us. <br />