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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Also in the Board folder, as an informational item, is a notice from the State Water Resources <br />Control Board (SWRCB) announcing that it has extended the comment period to February I, 1999, <br />regarding the IID/SDCW A application for change in use and change in diversion application. In its <br />notice, the SWRCB has acknowledged that this date is subject to further revision. <br /> <br />Colorado River Endanl!ered Fish Soecies <br /> <br />At last months' Board meeting, Mr. Worthley indicated that he would provide a schedule <br />of activities and deliverables regarding the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation <br />Program (LCR MSCP) planning process. Included in the Board folder is a draft of the schedule. <br />The schedule is subject to change because of the complexity of numerous planning decisions, such <br />as, the type or even the need for hydrologic modeling, or the biological requirements of numerous <br />species included in the plan, etc. To date, the plan development contractor, Ogden Environmental <br />and Energy Services, has provided five deliverables to the Steering Committee or Workgroup. <br />These are: I) Proposed Vegetation Classification; 2) Recommended Priority And Planning Species; <br />3) Preliminary Species Conservation Goals; 4) Target Restoration Parameters; and 5) Conceptual <br />Conservation And Constraints Analysis For The Lower Colorado River MSCP. In addition, Ogden's <br />subcontractor for public information, Katz and Associates, has prepared a public information <br />package. <br /> <br />Mr. Worthley also indicated at the December Board meeting that he would provide a <br />summary of conservation activities that have been, or are being funded by the LCR MSCP. The <br />LCR MSCP has dedicated $600,000 of the $4.5 million total plan development funds for Interim <br />Conservation Measures (ICM's). The funds have been granted as matching funds for a variety of <br />programs as follows: I) $300,000 ($1 00,000 for each of three years) to the Lake Mohave Native Fish <br />Workgroup for Razorback Sucker rearing and reintroduction into the Lower Colorado River; <br />2) $50,000 to the Achii Hanyo grow-out ponds for Razorback Sucker and Bonytail Chub; 3) $50,000 <br />to the Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife for services to benefit <br />the Razorback Sucker; 4) $1 00,000 to the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRITS) for riparian habitat <br />restoration at Deer Island to benefit the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher; and 5) $100,000 for the <br />"Bring Back the Natives" program, administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to <br />benefit riparian revegetation and for protection of species at the Bill Willia:ns and Lake Havasu <br />National Wildlife Refuges, the Fort Mohave Tribe's Twin Lakes riparian restoration project, the <br />Achii Hanyo endangered fish project, and the Relict Leopard Frog Refuguim. The ICM's funded <br />and listed above will help meet the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service's expectation that the LCR <br />MSCP Ecosystem Conservation Recovery and Implementation Team (ECRIT) will "identify and <br />implement interim conservation measures to prevent extinction of the most imperiled species offish <br />and wildlife that occur along the Lower Colorado River mainstem and its associated flood plain". <br /> <br />Also included in the Board folder is a copy of Reclamation's final report to the U. S. Fish <br />and Wildlife Service (Service) on Reasonable and Prudent Alternative 13 (b), regarding <br />Reclamation's discretion, as required by the Services' Biological Opinion. It is the intent of <br />Reclamation to continue to work with interested stakeholders to consider voluntary cooperative <br />programs to assist in endangered species protection, conservation, and recovery activities. <br /> <br />6 <br />