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<br />AL TERNATIVES <br /> <br />Four alternatives cover the range of options that were considered for the use <br />of surplus captive-reared endangered fish: <br /> <br />1. No Action. Under the "No Action" alternative, any captive-reared <br />endangered fish that were considered to be surplus to Recovery Program <br />needs would be kept in captivity. Presently, fish that are surplus to <br />Recovery Program needs are being maintained in propagation facilities. <br />Also, under this alternative, no captive-reared fish would be stocked <br />into the Upper Colorado River Basin nor euthanized. <br /> <br />? Discontinue PropaGation of EndanGered Fishes. Under this alternative, <br />management and conservation of the four endangered Colorado River fishes <br />would be done without the use of refuges and propagation facilities. <br />Disposition of surplus captive-reared fishes would not be an issue under <br />this alternative. <br /> <br />3. Stock Surplus EndanGered Fish into the Upper Colorado River Basin. Undei" <br />this alternative, all surplus captive-reared endangered fish would be <br />stocked into the Upper Colorado River Basin. <br /> <br />4. Imolement Disposition Guidelines (Preferred Alternative). Under this <br />alternative, guidelines would direct the use or disposition of surplus <br />captive-reared endangered fish and disposition would be accomplished by <br />applying the various options that are arranged in priority order. <br /> <br />DESCRIPTION OF AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT <br /> <br />The affected environment is the critical habitat of the endangered fishes in <br />the Upper Colorado River Basin upstream from Glen Canyon Dam, excluding the <br />San Juan River basin (Figure 1; Maddux et al. 1993). The critical habitat of <br />~:he endangered fishes includes the Green River between its confluence with the <br />Colorado and Vampa rivers; the Vampa River to River Mile 139 at Craig, <br />Colorado; the White River to River Mile 150 near Meeker, Colorado; the <br />Colorado River to River Mile 238 at Rifle, Colorado; and the Gunnison River to <br />River Mile 75 upstream of Delta, Colorado. River miles on the Colorado River <br />begin with 0 at the inlet to Lake Powell. River miles on all other rivers <br />begin from their confluence with the next largest river. <br /> <br />The Colorado River and its tributaries flows through 2,317 km (1.440 miles) of <br />arid land and serves over 30 million people with water for municipal use, <br />irrigated agriculture, industry, and mining. This river flows through arid to <br />semi-arid land and is supplied by to only 60 acre-feet of water per square <br />mile annually which is less than any other major river in the United States <br />(Utah Water Research Laboratory 1975). The importance of the Colorado River <br />history of western United States is concisely stated by Crawford and Petersen <br />(1974): "The Colorado is probably the most utilized, controlled, and fought <br />over river in the world. It flows through lands of incomparable beauty and <br />includes nearly seven percent of the nation's contiguous land mass, including <br />parts of seven states. From the time of the early settlers to the present, <br />the water of the Colorado River has been the key to development of the arid <br /> <br />6 <br />