BOARD02099

• Board Meeting Date: 5/20/2002
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

acknowledges that there might be some project delays because of the consultation requirement, Overall, the
report fmds that all associated impacts would be minimal.

In June 2001, the Service proposed designation of critical habitat for the northern Great Plains population of
the piping plover (Charadrius melodus) on approximately 196,576 acres and 1,338 river miles in Minnesota,
Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska,

Critical habitat refers to specific geographic areas that are essential for the conservation of a threatened or
endangered species and which may require special management considerations, These areas do not
necessarily have to be occupied by the species at the time of designation, A designation does not set up a
preserve or refuge and only applies to situations where Federal funding or a Federal permit is involved,

Copies of the economic analysis as well as the critical habitat proposal can be accessed via the Internet at
http://mountain-prairie,fWs,gov/pipingploverorby writing to the above address,

Pallid Sturgeon Released Into Missouri: On April 24 the USFWS released 180 young pallid sturgeon that
had been raised at the Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery into the Missouri River. The fish was listed as an
endangered species in 1990, and this is the third time since then that it has been stocked in the lower reaches
of the Missouri River. The 3-year-old fish dropped into the river Tuesday have a 60 percent to 80 percent
chance of surviving,

The USFWS believes the Missouri River's flow has changed so much that mature pallid sturgeon no longer
get the cues they need to reproduce, No longer does the river rise in the spring, bringing with it a change in
water temperature and a surge of nutrients and organic matter. Levees and channelization have eliminated
most of the backwaters where the fish lay their eggs, About 15,000 to 20,000 pallid sturgeon are believed to
exist in North America,

SPDSS Planning: A six year work plan has been developed based on Altemative 1 of the SPDSS fmal
feasibility study, Detailed scopes of work are being developed for the first year. Once the scopes of work
have been finalized, they will be attached to individual contracts and routed for signatures, Staff has also
been working with the U,S,G,S, to develop a cooperative well drilling and monitoring program that will met
the needs of both agencies,

Rio Grande Basin Issues

RGDSS Status: Technical subcommittee meetings regarding the ground water model development were
held in Denver on March 25 and April 29, The next meeting is planned for June 24 in the San Luis Valley,
tentatively to be held in conjunction with an RGDSS Advisory Committee Meeting,

Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout Status: The court settlement requires that the U.S, Fish and Wildlife Service
conduct a status review ofthe Rio Grande Cutthroat and make a decision on whether or not this subspecies
should be a federal candidate for listing by June 2002, CDOW has prepared documentation on the current
status in Colorado and sent it to the Service's Albuquerque Office for consideration along with information
from New Mexico Fish and Game, This information has also heen provided to CDNR and Colorado AG, A
workshop was held in Taos, New Mexico on April 2-3 to review all information, The CDOW feels that the
information provided does not meet the ESA defmition for threatened or endangered and does not require
candidate status because active conservation programs are already in place and working to enhance
distribution and abundance,

Advisory Council Appointment: On Mar. 26 Interior Secretary Norton wrote to ask for a nomination to the
Great San Dunes national park Advisory Council. The Council was authorized in 2000 when the PL 106-530
was signed, The Secretary may appoint 10-members, Four members must reside in the San Luis Valley, I
have responded to Secretary Norton by nominating Board member Ray Wright. The Rio Grande Water

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