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<br />,:::1') <br />~ <br />00 <br />,-; EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br />C) <br />o <br /> <br />The Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau) initiated a 7-year research period in 1991 for the endangered <br />Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker in the San Juan River of New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah <br />in response to a Biological Opinion on the Animas-LaPlata Project. This research became part ofthe San <br />Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program (SJRIP) formed later in 1991 by a group of agencies <br />including: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); Bureau; Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA); states of <br />New Mexico and Colorado; Jicarilla-Apache, Ute Mountain Ute, and Southern Ute Indian Tribes; and <br />San Juan River Basin water development interests. The Bureau of Land Management and the Navajo <br />Nation joined the program later. The goals of the SJRIP were to conserve populations of the two <br />endangered fish in the San Juan River consistent with the recovery goals established under the Endangered <br />Species Act and proceed with water development in accordance with applicable laws and Indian trust <br />responsibilities. From 1991 to 1997, the SJRIP conducted over 25 biological, physical, and chemical <br />studies of the San Juan River. Management actions, including stocking endangered fishes and planning <br />barrier removal (water diversion structures), were also initiated. Many studies focused on determining the <br />effects of reoperating Navajo Dam to mimic a natural hydrograph on the fishes and their habitat. <br />Reoperation involved releasing higher spring flows and lower late summer, fall, and winter flows than had <br />been released since Navajo Dam's completion in 1962. This report summarizes the findings of those <br />studies and how they relate to recovery of the two endangered species in the San Juan River and provides <br />the basis for setting the future direction of the SJRIP. <br /> <br />The SJRIP accomplished most of the objectives it set during the 7-year research period. Life history and <br />habitat information on the native fish community were gathered and key habitats determined. Physical <br />studies defined habitat availability and quality in the San Juan River and, along with biological habitat use <br />information, were used to develop flow recommendations. The flow recommendations provided for <br />continuing water development in the San Juan Basin without harming the endangered fish species, a goal <br />of the SJRIP. Other limiting factors, such as fish health, nonnative species interactions, water quality, and <br />contaminants, were investigated and their importance was clarified. Experimental augmentation was <br />initiated for both endangered fish species, and augmentation of razorback sucker began. These efforts <br />resulted in the establislunent of a razorback sucker population that is reproducing in the river and a <br />Colorado pikeminnow population increase--from about 20 wild adults to perhaps as many as several <br />hundred subadults and large juveniles. Limitations related to spawrring and the larval stage of either of the <br />endangered fishes were not studied because of the low population levels. These two life history stages will <br />be easier to study as adult populations increase, more spawrring occurs, and more larvae become available <br />in the river. The primary objectives the SJRIP did not meet were development of interim population goals <br />for the two species and development of a public information and education program. Emphasis on these <br />areas increased in 1998 and 1999, with initiation of a bioenergetics study to determine interim population <br />levels and development and implementation of an Information and Education program. Although recovery <br /> <br />September 2000 <br /> <br />S-1 <br /> <br />Program Evaluation Report <br />