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5 larger workgroup of interested parties in August of 1997, The workgroup included water users, environmental groups, and State and Federal agencies, This programmatic biological opinion represents the Service's consideration of the Federal action described on page 1. Scope of the Biological Opinion The Federal action described on page 1 is addressed in this biological opinion, This biological opinion addresses impacts related to water depletions that occur above the confluence with the Gunnison River and impact critical habitat from Rifle to Lake Powell and recovery actions designed to offset these impacts, Therefore, the subject recovery actions affect the Colorado River between Rifle and Lake Powell, Impacts related to water depletions and recovery actions in the Green River are addressed in the consultations for Flaming Gorge Dam and the Duchesne River. Programmatic consultations for the Gunnison and Yampa Rivers are planned to address similar issues. Issuance of this programmatic biological opinion does not create an administrative priority concerning Upper Colorado River Basin depletions, The opinion neither prejudices nor determines the amount of depletions allowable under the Colorado River Compact or under the Endangered Species Act in other subbasins of the Upper Colorado River Basin, The Recovery Program does not cover direct physical impacts of new actions (projects constructed after January 22, 1988); effects of transbasin diversions on Platte River endangered species; introduction of nonnative fish species; or discharges of pollutants and therefore, this biological opinion does not address such impacts, This biological opinion does not address impacts of future actions authorized by the participating Federal Agencies that are not associated with water depletions or operation of Reclamation facilities to carry out recovery actions. BIOLOGICAL OPINION DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION The proposed action is described on page I, The Reclamation projects included in this consultation are the past, existing, and continued operation of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, Collbran Project, Grand Valley Project, and Silt Project, including all existing, historic, and authorized depletions associated with these projects, These projects are operated in accordance with various laws and policies such as the authorizing legislation for each project, operating policies, criteria, and principles, and various court decrees, For detailed descriptions of the physical features of each projects, see Appendix A. Non-Reclamation projects associated with the continuation of existing depletions and 120,000 acre-feet/year of new depletions above the confluence with the Gunnison River which have or are likely to have a Federal nexus are anticipated to choose to rely on the implementation of the Recovery Action Plan, which is the responsibility of all of the Program participants, to avoid the likelihood of jeopardy and adverse modification of critical habitat. Therefore, this biological opinion is treating these projects as interrelated, The participating Federal Agencies contribute approximately $3.3 million annually for implementation of recovery actions under the base