WSP06566

• File Number: 8058
• Description: General Endangered Species - not basin specific
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 10/12/2004
• Author: Fish and Wildlilfe
• Title: Southwestern Willow Flycatcher - Federal Register - 50 CFR Part 17 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 196/Tuesday, October 12. 2004/ Proposed Rules

60723

Flycatcher Recovery Team believed thai
such events were compatible with
recovery. and the target number of
territories and acres of suitable habitat
recommended for reclassification could
still be achieved in most years despite
continued full operation of Roosevelt
Darn (USF\VS 2003). This is the only
r...lanagement Unit where recovery goals
were established smaller than existing
numbers due to expected increase in
lake elevation. As discussed in the
"Relationship of Critical Habitat to
Approved Habitat Conservation Plans
(Heps)" section of this rule, we are
proposing to exclude. Roosevelt Lake
from the final designation of critical
habitat.

Middle Gila/San Pedro Management
Unit

We are proposing il segment of the
middle and lo\\'er San Pedro River. and
a segment of the Gila River near the San
Pedro/Gila River confluence in Pinal.
Pima, and Cochise Counties, AZ. The
middle/lower San Pedro River segment
extends for 110 km (68 mil to the Gila
River. The Gila River segment begins at
Dripping Springs Wash and extends for
80 km (50 mil downstream past the San
Pedro/Gila conOuence and Towns of
Winkleman and Kelvin to Ashehursl
Hayden Diversion Dam near the Town
of Cochran in Gila and Pinal Counties,
AZ. Flvcatchers have been detected
nesting along these segments since
1993. In 2003, a high of 167 territories
from 1!) sites (12 on San Pedro and 7 on
the Gila) were detectt!d on the stream
segments we are proposing within this
Management Unit. Degradation of
habitat quality has dropped the number
of territories on the Gila River segment
from 68 in 1999 to 26 in 2003. This
collection of territories along these two
streams, along with territories found in
the Roosevelt f\.'1anage.ment Unit
(n=300), comprise about 25 percent of
the entire subspecies.

Upper Gila Management Unit

We are proposing three segments of
the upper Gila River in NM and AZ. The
upper 119 km (74 mil segment of the
Gila River extends from Turkey Creek
on the Gila National Forest downstream
through the Cliff/Gila Valley and
Hidalgo and Grant Counties, NM to the
Town of Duncan in Greenlee County.
AZ. The second segment extends from
the upper end of Earven Flat in AZ
above the Town of Safford and extends
for 102 km [63 mil through the Gila,
Graham, and Pinal Counties. the Safford
Valley.-and into the San Carlos Apache
Indian Reservation. We are also
proposing a 6 km (3 mil segment of the
San Carlos Reservoir from

approximately 1.3 mi west of the Pinal!
Graham County line to Coolidge Dam.
Southwestern willow flycatchers have
been detected nesting along these
stream segments in the Upper Gila
Management Unit since 1993. A total of
16 breeding sites [7 in NM, and 9 in AZj
are known in the Gila Management
Unit. In 1999, a high of262 territories
at 8 sites were detected. A single site,
the U-Bar ranch in Ihe Cliff/Gila Valley,
had 209 territories. In 2003, 191
territories at 8 sites were detected on the
Gila River stream segments we are
proposing within this Management
Unit. The U-Bar ranch had 123 of these
territories in 2003, but JUany are found
outside of the flood-prone a'rea, off-
channel in habitat along irrigated
ditches. The single site in the Cliff/Gila
Valley, along with Roosevelt Lake. and
the collection of territories in the
Middle Gila/San Pedro Management
Unit. comprise nearly 40 percent of the
entire subspecies.

Rio Grande Recovery Unit

This unit encompasses the Rio Grande
watershed from its headwaters in
southwestern CO downstream to the
Pecos River confluence in southwestern
Texas, although no Oycatcher breeding
sites are currently known along the Rio
Grande in Texas. Also included is the
Pecos River watershed in NM and Texas
(where no breeding sites are known) and
one site on Coyote Creek, in the upper
Canadian River watershed. In 2002, the
majority of the 197 territories (17
percenl of the rangewide total) were
found along the Rio Grande itself (Sogge
et 01. 2003), From 2002 totals. 162
territories were found within the
proposed river segments. In 2001, only
three sites contained more than 5 -
territories (USFWS 2002: 65). Most sites
are in native-dominated habitats: exotic-
dominated sites include primarily
tamarisk or Russian olive (USFWS 2002:
65). In 2001, of 56 nests that have been
described in the middle and lower Rio
Grande in NM, 43 (77 percent) used
tamarisk as the nest substrate (USFWS
2002: 65J. In 2001. government-managed
lands accounted for 63 percent of the
territories in this unit; Tribal lands
supported an additional 23 percent
(USFWS 2002). This Recovery Unit
contains the San Luis Valley. Upper Rio
Grande, Middle Rio Grande. and Lower
Rio Grande Management Units.

San Luis Valley Management Unit

We are proposing a segment of the
upper Rio Grande in Costilla. Conejos,
Alamosa, and Rio Grande Counties. CO.
and a segment of the Conejos River in
Conejos, County, CO. The 139 km (87
mil segment of the upper Rio Grande

extends from the confluence with San
Francisco Creek downstream through
the A lamosa National Wildlife Refuge to
the Lobatos Bridge. Tbe 46 km (29 mil
segment of the Conejos River begins
where State Highway 285 crosses the
River and extends downstream to its
confluence with the Rio Grande.
Flycatchers have been detected nesting
along these segments since 1997. In
2002, a high of 34 territories from 3 total
sites (1 on Conejos River and 3 on the
Rio GrandeJ were detected on the stream
segments we are proposing within this
Management Unit.

Upper Rio Grande Management Unit

We are proposing single segments of
the upper Rio Grande in Taos. Rio
Arriba, and Santa Fe Counties. NM. the
Rio Grande del Rancho in Taos County.
NM, and Coyote Creek in Mora County,
NM. The upper Rio Grande segment
extends for 75 km (46 mil frolll the Taos
Junction Bridge (State route 520)
downstream to the Otowi Bridge (State
Route 502). The 11 km (7 mil of the Rio
Grande del Rancho extends from Sarco
Canyon downstream to the Arroyo
Miranda confluence, The 10 km (6 mil
Coyote Creek segment travels from
about 2 km/l mi above Coyote Creek
State Park downstream to the second
bridge on State Route 518, upstream
from Los Cocas. Flycatcher!; h<'lve been
detected nesting along these segments
since 1993. Eleven breeding sites are
known to exist on these segments (seven
on Rio Grande. one on Rio Grande del
Rancho. and three on Covote Creek). On
the Rio Grande in 2002, 16 territories
were detected at a single site. On the Rio
Grande del Rancho in 2003. a high of six
territories were detected at a single site.
On Coyote Creek in 2000. a high of 17
territories at 3 sites were detected.
however only 3 territories (from 2 sites)
were detected in 2002. and no surveys
occurred in 2003.

Middle Rio Grande Management Unit

We are proposing a 207km (129 mi)
segment of the middle Rio Grande in
Bernalillo, Valencia. and Soccoro
Counties, NM, from 4.2 mi north of the
intersection of Interstate Highways 25
and 40 downstream to the overhead
power line near Milligan Gulch at the
northern end of Elephant Butte State
Park. Southwestern willow flycatcher
territories have been detected on these
selected stream segments since 1993. On
the Middle Rio Grande in 2003. a high
of 107 territories at 6 of 7 different
breeding sites were detected, In 2002. 98
territories at these same 7 sites were
detected. A total of 85 territories were
detected at the San Marcial site in 2003,
Similar to the lower Colorado River