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<br />" . <br />, <br /> <br />;':1!:; <br /> <br />\ <br />';PPENDlX A <br /> <br />" <br />R <br />~~ <br />~ <br />;;i <br /> <br />",< <br /> <br />REVIEW OF <br />REASONABLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVES <br />FOR <br />ANIMAS-LA PLATA <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />Bacl<ground <br /> <br />After several months of negotiation the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) <br />and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) have not been able to develop <br />alternatives which would allow construction of the Animas-La Plata Project or <br />any further depletions in the San Juan River ,Basin while continuing to <br />protect endangered fishes which live downstream in the San Juan River. The <br />failure of these negotiations is reflected in a Service Draft Biological <br />Opinion dated May 4, 1990. Reclamation's need to respond to the draft <br />opinion and its responsibility to use the best scientific and commercial data <br />available, and its belief that construction can proceed concurrently with <br />activities that will protect and maintain the endangered fishes, have led to <br />the formation of two independent panels. ' <br /> <br />Biological Panel <br /> <br />One of these panels consists of State, Federal, academic, and private <br />biologists. Those serving will be asl<ed to review and comment on the <br />Service's findings by providing their own individual biological assessment of <br />the status of the Colorado squawfish and razorbacl< populations in the San <br />Juan River, including (1) whether their presence is essential to preservation <br />of each species, (2) impacts of the proposed 154,000 AF Animas River <br />depletion on these species in the San Juan River and in the Colorado River <br />Basin and, (3) whether measures exist which would allow continued <br />construction of the Animas-La Plata Project and other expected depletions in <br />the basin without adversely impacting the Colorado squawfish or razorbacl< <br />sucl<er. The results of this effort will supply Reclamation with additional <br />scientific and commercial data for its comments on the draft biological <br />opinion. <br /> <br />The following Colorado River native fishes/San Juan River habitat experts <br />have been asl<ed to serve on the panel and to inform Reclamation of their <br />views by July 1, 1990. <br /> <br />Dr. James Bennett - Dr. Bennett is a member of the Colorado River Fishes <br />Recovery Team and a native fishes biologist for the Colorado Division of <br />Wildlife. He has served in several capacities with regard to both oversight <br />and review of on-going endangered fish research in the Upper Colorado River <br />Basin. <br /> <br />(! <br />;.i <br /> <br />,:':. <br /> <br />:~:" <br />--.,,: <br />.'!~ <br />~' <br /> <br />" <br />/," <br />~. ' <br />,--4: <br /> <br /><, <br />.' <br /> <br />:~:.:, <br />it'~ <br />il';~' <br />t~~ <br />; <br /> <br /> <br />m <br />~~ <br />',',~~ <br />"'~e <br />:':"':;- <br /> <br />~:V <br />.' <br />,.";" <br />- ;i-~ <br />-":~ <br /> <br />Dr. David Propst - A native fish biologist with the New Mexico Department of <br />Game and Fish, Dr. Propst is familiar with and has participated in surveys on <br />the San Juan over the last four years. <br /> <br />Dr. Harold Tyus - Or. Tyus is a well-known and respected Upper Basin fishery <br />biologist with extensive experience on the Yampa and Green River systems. He <br />is a member of the Colorado River Fishes Recovery Team and worl<s for the Fish <br />and Wildlife Service in their Vernal field station. <br />