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<br />000735 <br /> <br />; ., <br /> <br />Ela Wildlife Sanctuary Habitat Restoration FONS! <br /> <br />WACO-GJ-FONS!-03-04 Page I <br /> <br />WCAO-GJ-FONSI-03-04 <br /> <br />United States Department of Interior <br />Bureau of Reclamation <br />Western Colorado Area Office <br /> <br />FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT <br /> <br />HABITAT RESTORATION AT THE <br />LUCY FERRlL ELA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY <br /> <br />In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and based on <br />the following, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has determined that the proposed <br />habitat restoration at the Lucy Ferril Ela (Ela) Wildlife Sanctuary will not result in a significant <br />impact on the human environment, <br /> <br />The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program (Recovery Program) is <br />proposing to restore endangered fish habitat at the Ela Wildlife Sanctuary adjacent to the <br />Colorado River near Grand Junction in Mesa County, Colorado. By notching an existing levee <br />that separates the ponds from the Colorado River, the proposed action would allow endangered <br />fish larvae to drift from the river into the ponds of the Ela Wildlife Sanctuary, and use the ponds <br />as a nursery habitat. <br /> <br />The loss of floodplain habitat is a factor that has contributed to the decline ofthe endangered <br />fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin, To reverse this trend, the Recovery Program seeks <br />opportunities to restore, enhance, and protect floodplain habitats that will support recovery of the <br />speCIes. <br /> <br />The razorback sucker is one of four species of the Colorado River that are in danger of becoming <br />extinct. This species in particular is dependant upon floodplain habitat to ensure its survival and <br />recovery. Razorback sucker spawn on the ascending limb of the hydrograph during spring <br />runoff. After eggs hatch, larvae begin to drift downstream. Larvae that drift into floodplain <br />wetlands have a better chance of survival that those that remain in the main channel. Floodplain <br />wetlands have warmer water temperatures, resulting in greater food production and faster growth <br />rates for young fishes, thereby increasing the chances of survival because larger fish are less <br />vulnerable to predation. Floodplain habitats also provide a quiet-water shelter from main <br />channel river currents, which reduces energy expenditure that can be used for growth. Inundated <br />wetland vegetation also offers hiding places for avoiding predators, <br /> <br />The purpose of the proposed action is to facilitate entrainment of drifting razorback sucker larvae <br />into the Ela Wildlife Sanctuary ponds. <br /> <br />Reclamation identified issues and concerns with participation from individuals, agencies, and <br />organizations that may be affected by the project On June 19, 2003, a scoping letter was mailed <br />