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~~~ ::"-\ .:;. ;;-co: An Overview of the Basin's Resource-Management Problems ~~ ~~~ :':';) ^,< . Currently there are about 20 species of plants and animals in the management area that, because of the apparent rarity or declining population trend, have state and federal designations such as 'endangered' and 'threatened.' In addition, there are several species which are designated as candidates for federal listing or have been determined by us to need special management considerations. " .,.~ . [Plrobably as a result of the construction ofCochiti Dam, the northern reaches... Cochiti and Albuquerque... of the Middle Rio Grande are now degrading. Because sediments are trapped at the dam, released waters have high potential for erosion and the channel is deepening. ... Comparison of 1935 to 1989 aerial photos indicates that the riverine, or river channel portion of the Middle Rio Grande, has been reduced by 49%. ... For native riparian plant species, there is little or no recruitment, except for banks and bars adjacent to the main channel of the river that are exposed after high flows. These areas may be scoured by the next high flows and are often subject to mowing to maintain the floodway. """^,, ~}" ~! "" ~ ~ ~ iiJ ~ Ii:' :>1 , . Poor water quality in the Albuquerque Reach may have contributed to low numbers of Rio Grande silvery minnow and to an overall reduction in fish abundance [citation omitted]. ,~if ,.. ~ ~ ~. . If habitat is fragmented into isolated patches, any given patch may not be large enough to support the home range of certain wildlife species. Long distances between patches may preclude an area from supporting viable populations of desired species. ... Compared with riparian habitat downstream of Elephant Butte Reservoir, up~tream of Velarde and on other southwestern rivers, the overall riparian zone along the Middle Rio Grande is relatively wide, intact, and unfragmented [but fragmentation] is occurring on the Middle Rio Grande at the plant community level. The anticipated continued decline in Rio Grande cottonwood-willow communities would lead to significant loss and fragmentation of this plant community in the foreseeable future. Fragmentation of the entire riparian ecosystem by private residential development is a concern. I ~~ 'ii ;~ ,', The authors of the Bosque Plan, who represent the University of New Mexico, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, BuRec, CoE, and New Mexico State University, also conclude that continuation of recent and current approaches to managing the area's resources would cause substantial, ('L 29'11 91