BOARD02286

• Board Meeting Date: 5/11/1998
• Description: Colorado River Basin Issues - Endangered Species Issues - 15-Mile Reach Section 7 Consultation - Status Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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MAY~bl-98 FRI 04:23 PM CO RIVER RECOVERY

FAX NO, 3032365262

p, 02/11

DRAFT
(For Discussion Purposes Only)

Below is an example of suite of Recovery Action Plan items that will be used in development of
the Programmatic Biological Opinion,

~ Issues and position regarding the instream flow filings 1.Ulder Colorado State law will
presented by the Service at the May 4, 1998 meeting.

~ The flow components of the RP A focus on providing water during critical periods for the
fIsh, but still allowing flexibility for water development,

. Not all or the relevant completed RIPRAP items have been included in the lists bclow.
Others will be added whcn preparing a Uraft biological opinion.

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Cheek points will need to be included to nssist water users in tracking performance and
ensuring that there are no smprises should reinitiation be required for lack of Program
performance (see reinitiation section), The major RlPRAP items are to be completed by
2005, Review of completion of RIPRAP elements that constitute the RP A will occur in
September 2001. This will provide a timely determination that the RP A elements for
Category 1 depletions has been completely satisfied, A review will occur every 2 years
thereafter until all the capital construction activities are completed.

BACKGROUND

On January 21-22,1988 the Secretary of the Interior; Governors of Wyoming, Colorado, and
Utah; and the Administrator of the Western Area Power Administration were cosigners of a
Cooperative Agreement to implement the Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered
Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin (Recovery Program-USFWS, 1987), An
objective of the Recovery Program was to recoverthc listed species while providing for hew
water development in the Upper Colorado River Basin.

In order to further define and clarify processes outlined in sections 4.1.5, 4,1.6, and 5.3.4 of the
Recovery Program, a Section 7 Agreement (Agreement) and a Recovery Implementation
Program Recovery Action Plan (Plan) was developed (USFWS 1993). The Agreement
established a framework for conducting Section 7 consultations on depletion impacts related to
new projects and all impacts associated with historic projects in the Upper Basin. Procedures
outlined in the Agreement will be used to determine if sufficient progress is being accomplished
in the recovery of endangered fishes to enable the Recovery Program to serve as a reasonable and
prudent alternative to avoidjeop:mly. The Plan was finalized on October 15, 1993, and has been

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