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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 000856 reasonable effort to modify Project operations to either reduce or eliminate the impacts. (2) Ridges Basin Reservoir: (a) Only Trout will be stocked in Ridges Basin Reservoir b) Enhancement: . i) Ridges Basin Reservoir: (I) Reclamation will fund the stocking of trout in Ridges Basin Reservoir to enhance recreational opportunities at the reservoir. c) Compensatory Mitigation: i) Animas River: (I) In 2000, investigations were initiated to determine whether or not fish barriers exist, whether small fish Iyoung of the year are lost through entrainment in canals, and whether effects to trout fishery may occur. A recommendation for mitigation on possible effects to native fish will be made by 2005. Once the recommendation is approved by Service, CDOW, NMG&F, and possibly the Southern Ute Indian Tribe (SUIT), its implementation will begin immediately. (2) Reclamation will fund the acquisition and stocking of wild trout strains within the boundaries of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation to compensate for fish loss due to the reduction in usable trout habitat. A detailed monitoring plan to assess the success of stocking efforts will be developed in cooperation with the Service, CDOW, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF), and the SUIT. The relative success of this effort will be assessed after four years, If it is deemed a success--that is, if the trout biomass within the stocked reaches of the ri ver is elevated to a point of supporting a recreational fishery-- the stocking program will continue. For the acquisition of trout stock, Reclamation will investigate obtaining trout stock from existing hatcheries and/or consider the development of a new hatchery in cooperation with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and others, The same hatchery could also be utilized for providing the fish for Ridges Basin Reservoir. (3) Reclamation will acquire at least two new public access points (expend up to $500,000) on the Animas River for fishing and other recreation use. Refer to 10) Recreation (lO,b) for more information on access points. d) Monitoring - Within the Project area, rivers support several species of native fishes, including flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis), bluehead sucker (Catostomus discobolus), roundtail chub (Gila robusta), speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus), and mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi), These species are reduced in numbers and distribution throughout the Colorado River Basin. Within the Project area, the Animas River also supports a recreational fishery of stocked rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), brown trout (Salmo trutta), and Snake River cutthroat trout (0. clarki). i) Ridges Bain Reservoir: (I) There is a concern that the introduction of trace elements into Ridges Basin Reservoir from the Animas River could lead to the bioaccumulation of this 20