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.' Introduction This is a property acquisition proposal for consideration by the Biology and Management Committees of the Colorado River Recovery Program, to assist in recovery of the Colorado squawfish and razorback sucker. The proposal is to acquire approximately 100+ acres of floodplain habitat along the south bank of the Colorado River between 30 and 31 Roads in the Grand Valley (RM. 174.9-176.0). For exact locations see attached map. This area was ranked one of the top ten flooded bottomland sites in "Reconnaissance Inventory and Prioritization of Existing and Potential Bottomlands in the Upper Colorado River Basin", Irving and Burdick, 1995. It is also identified as a high priority area for floodplain protection in the "Priority Geographic Areas for Floodplain Protection", Nelson 1995. The property flooded during the spring of 1995. The Griffith property is also being considered as habitat replacement for the Grand VaHey Unit salinity Control Project. The property can easily meet the objectives of both Recovery Program needs as well as habitat replacement needs. The Bureau of Reclamation has funding available in FY -96 and is interested in cost sharing this acquisition with the Recovery Program. Frank Pfeifer and Kathy Holley met with Mr. Griffith on February 9, 1996. During that meeting Mr. Griffith stated that the property is for sale and he is interested in selling to the Recovery Program if a fair deal can be reached. Legal Description of Property Township I South, Range 1 East, Ute Meridian; all land from the crest of the bluff to the center of the Colorado River in Lots 4 & 5 of Section 21 and Lot 4 of Section 20. Biological Importance to Endangered Fish An important component of the Recovery Program for the Endangered Fishes of the Upper Colorado River is to protect and enhance critical habitats. In the Colorado River, the endangered Colorado squawfish and razorback sucker still occur in river reaches downstream of the Price Stubb Diversion near Palisade, Colorado. Though there are several hundred Colorado squawfish left in the river, no more than a handful of razorback suckers remain. Historically, the Colorado River routinely flooded its banks almost every spring. The resulting warm, nutrient-rich, flooded areas are considered by biologists to be critical in maintaining a healthy riverine ecosystem. Today, flooding still occurs but to a much lesser extent. Because of upstream water development, the magnitude of spring flows are not as high as they once were. In addition, riverside lands 2