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<br />Measures to protect endangered and threatened wildlife species in the <br />basin consist of maintaining or promoting known appropriate habitat for <br />the affected species: these Include preserving prairie dog populations <br />(important for the black-footed ferret); remote timbered areas are vital <br />to the wolverine; nesting areas of the peregrine falcon, should be free <br />from intensive human activity and pesticides; preserving wetlands to <br />maintain habitat for classified waterfowl. <br /> <br />The Rio Grande cutthroat trout is the only fish species considered <br />threatened. Its decline is attributed to water pollution, water <br />diversion for irrigation and competition from introduced trout. <br /> <br />Two plant species, the alkal i bluegrass <br />proposed endangered or rare categories. <br />marily by human activities that destroy <br /> <br />and bigelow sage, fall into the <br />Their decl ine is caused pri- <br />or deteriorate their habitat. <br /> <br />Forest harvesting on both publ ic and private ownerships is generally <br />compatible with environmental quality. Few steep slope operations are <br />underway requiring cable systems. Natural regeneration of some harvested <br />areas on the Rio Grande National Forest has not been adequate, and there <br />is now a reforestation backlog. Stagnated young stands in need of <br />timber stand improvement also exist on the national forest. <br /> <br />Trends toward sprinkler irrigation have created idle cropland areas in <br />field corners of center pivot systems, These areas provide food and <br />cover for wildlife. <br /> <br />Windbreaks and shelter belts are nonexistent on the basin floor because <br />trees and shrubs need irrigation to survive. At the same time, it is <br />beneficial to drain some lands for crop production, however, drainage <br />may el iminate wetland wildlife habitat. <br /> <br />Other land, water and air environmental conditions are addressed under <br />their respective sections in previous chapters. <br /> <br />E. Projections and Preferences <br /> <br />1. General Methods <br /> <br />Prognosticating future alternative conditions and goals is at <br />best an inexact technique subject to revision as more adequate <br />information becomes available. Still, projections and prefer- <br />ences are necessary to help establish objectives. <br /> <br />The primary document utilized for guidance in projections was <br />the Water Resources Council's OBERS projections of economic <br />activity in the United States. These projections are based <br />mainly on historical data. Two series of OBERS demand pro- <br />jections have been developed--the series C and E, each based <br />on forecasted population growth. A series E' was generated <br /> <br />003417 <br /> <br />V-27 <br />