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<br />OUTLINE FOR PRESS BRIEFINGS <br />Colorado River & Endangered Fish Recovery Flow Protection by CWCB <br />October 19, 1995 <br /> <br />1. Introductions <br /> <br />2. Recovery Implementation Program Background <br />A. Pre-1988 Activities & Alternatives <br />Colorado River Compacts, 1922 & 1948 <br />. Colorado River Storage Projects Authorization <br />. 1973 ESA & Regulatory Requirements <br />. 4 Listed Fish Species <br />. FWS Flow Recommendations in Early 1980's <br />. Court Rulings and ESA Amendment Efforts <br />. Status of the Endangered Fish Populations, Critical Habitat <br />B. 1988 Agreement between CO, UT, WY, Interior, WAPA <br /> <br />. Goal: to Recover the Endangered Fishes While Allowing <br /> <br />Water Development to Continue <br />. 8 Voting Participants, Consensus Decision Making <br />. 5 Recovery Action Elements (instream flow restoration & protection, <br />physical habitat restoration and protection, non-native fish control, endangered fish <br />reintroducion & augmentation, and data collection & research) <br />. "Sufficient Progress:" a marriage between compatible but competing interests <br /> <br />. CO Responsibilities: to protect instr~am flows, manage sportfish, coordinate <br />restoration & protection for floodplain habitat with local government & landowners <br />C. Colorado Benefits <br />. Recovery is Better than Offsetting Impacts, Both for the Fish and for <br />People (Solving the Problem, Certainty, Expenditure of Public Resources) <br />. Protection of Property Rights: Reliance upon State Laws and State <br />Agencies & Avoidance of Conflict <br />. Protection for State Jurisdiction over Water and Wildlife <br />. Stronger Influence in Planning & Implementation for State Decision <br />Makers, Local Government, Water & Environmental Interests <br />. 170+ Water Projects (Over 120 iri CO), No LitigationlRejection <br />3. Significance of "15 Mile Reach" in Recovering Endangered Fishes <br />A One ohop 2 priorities for instream flow protection (with Yampa River); extends from <br />Grand Valley Irrigation Co. diversion at Palisade to confluence of the Gunnison River in Grand <br />Junction. <br />B. Colorado squawfish concentration still greater than any other portion of the <br />Colorado River. <br />C. Razorback suckers were more abundant until mid-1980s; may contain last <br />remnant "riverine" population. <br />D. Diverse "mosaic" of pools, riffles, side channels, and backwaters is increasingly <br />rare. <br />E. FWS considers 15 Mile Reach as "critical" to recovery of both the squawfish and <br />razorback. <br /> <br /> <br />.-."; <br /> <br />