BOARD01656

• Board Meeting Date: 7/1/1985
• Description: Meeting Notes & Memos
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

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Mr. Tom pitts. Colorado Water Congress Project Coordinator
for Endangered Species. reported that the work group had met
in mid-June and drafted the work plan. He added that the
Bureau of Reclamation would hope that this process would remove
the jeopardy opinion issued for the Narrows Unit. In response
to a question from Mr. Gary Friehauf. Mr. pitts stated that the
work plan would be applicable to other threatened or endangered
species. specifically the Least Tern. Piping Plover and Eagle.

b. Colorado River Fishes - Appendix F

Mr. McDonald discussed this item by referring to the two
discussion papers transmitted with his June 13. 1985.
memorandum to the Board. Three key points were highlighted by
Mr. McDonald with reference to these papers.

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First. the Steering Committee at the urging of Colorado and
the Colorado Water Congress concluded that enough data had been
gathered and technical analyses doen to advance recovery
efforts as far as possible in a one-time effort. They agreed
to wind down efforts and begin the process of developing a
meaningful recovery plan for the three endangered species. The
process necessarily now shifts to identifying and defining the
Section 7 and recovery plan procedures. A task group will meet
in the near future to begin writing these three recovery
plans. Key items in recovery plans will be the responsibility
for specific recovery measures and the bearing of costs
associated therewith. A time frame for completing these tasks
will also be attached.

Colorado's position in this respect should be not to go
forward with any recovery plan until pending Section 7
consultations and related issues are resolved.

Second. the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is taking the
position that Section 7 consultations require a cumulative
effects analysis in order to establish the baseline condition.
Conservation and mitigation efforts will be required in accord
with this baseline condition. This is contrary to Colorado's
proposed position on this matter. The U.S. Fish and wildlife
Service is taking a further position that no Section 7
biological opinions will be given until the baseline conditions
are resolved and defined. Mr. McDonald has provided
considerable comment in this area with respect to the Green
Mountain Ruedi reservoirs studies.

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The concluding point with respect to Section 7
consultations is the willingness of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service to remove jeopardy opinions by the dedication of a
certain project yield and release of such yield for the
endangered species. The Colorado Water Conservation Board has
raised concerns with this appr~ach at Green Mountain and Ruedi
with respect to operating principles in the Fryingpan-Arkansas

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