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<br />of 1995 to emulate the natural high spring flows. <br /> <br />Economic Value of Threatened and Endangered FISh <br /> <br /> <br />This case study also uses CVM to quantify public economic value for preserving 2,465 river <br /> <br /> <br />miles of critical habitat units (CRUs) for nine species of fish that are listed as threatened or <br /> <br /> <br />endangered in six rivers of the four corners states. The impact of having critical habitat <br /> <br /> <br />designated is that river flows are affected thi:ough instream flow requirements and altering <br /> <br /> <br />management of hydropower facilities. <br /> <br />The CVM survey followed a standard three element design: (a) portrayal of the resource to <br /> <br /> <br />be valued, (b) description of the particular mechanism to be used to pay for the resource and <br /> <br /> <br />(c) the question format used to elicit the respondent's dollar amount of WTP. Survey <br /> <br /> <br />respondents were provided detailed maps with the CRUs highlighted. Protection involved <br /> <br /> <br />habitat improvements such as fish passageways as well as bypass releases of water from <br /> <br /> <br />darns to imitate natural water flows needed by fish. <br /> <br />Households were told that some State and Federal officials thought the costs of the habitat <br />improvements and the restrictions on hydropower were too costly and proposals for <br />eliminating CRUs had been put forward. Then the description of the particular mechanism <br />to be used to pay for the resource was provided. They were told the current program could <br />be paid for by the establishment of a Four Corners Region Threatened and Endangered Fish <br />Trust Fund. Efforts to raise funds would involve all U.S. taxpayers contributing to this <br /> <br />15 <br />