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44 2. The following flow management strategies should be implemented on the La Plata River to reduce impacts to future cottonwood recruitment: a. A minimum baseflow of 8 cfs should be provided at the Southern Ute Diversion Dam to maintain the alluvial aquifer for support of floodplain wetlands and riparian vegetation. b. When flows in the La Plata River reach 250 cfs at the Southern Ute Diversion Dam during May and June (the cottonwood seeding period), all flows should be bypassed until flows drop below 250 cfs. c. A monitoring program should be implemented to evaluate the extent of cottonwood seedling establishment. If monitoring verifies widespread reproduction and likely recruitment, diversion during spring flood flows for several years may be acceptable. This may help seedlings reach a size sufficient to withstand high flows. The monitoring program should be incorporated into the bald eagle management plan. 3. Reclamation should determine which canals in the project area provide important bald eagle habitat (cottonwood trees), and develop a strategy to avoid loss of these trees, such as providing water in the canals during the growing season. 4. Reclamation should develop a long term monitoring program that evaluates water quality in the Animas, la Plata, and Mancos Rivers. Also, Reclamation should determine if heavy metals and selenium contamination become bioaccumulated in the food chain and become deleterious to bald eagles. If new information becomes available regarding impacts to riparian or wetland vegetation, cottonwood recruitment, or environmental contaminants; or should there be any changes to the Project which alter the operation of the Project from that which is described in this biological opinion and which may affect bald eagles in a manner or to an extent not considered in this biological opinion (see 50 CFR, Part 402.16), formal section 7 consultation should be reinitiated. CONCLUSION This concludes our biological opinion on the impacts of the proposed Project. The Service has determined that the impacts of the Project are likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the Colorado squawfish and razorback sucker and adversely modify or destroy their critical habitat. A reasonable and prudent alternative which offsets jeopardy and adverse modification to critical habitat of the Colorado squawfish and razorback sucker has been identified as a result of this consultation. The reasonable and prudent alternative includes: (1) an Animas-la Plata Project that results in an initial depletion of 57,100 acre-feet (Phase I, Stage A only), (2) research to determine endangered fish habitat needs, (3) operation of the Navajo Dam to provide a wide range of flow conditions for the endangered fish, including low winter flows, (4) a procedure to implement