2022-12-19_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981010

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endangered fish on-the-ground recovery efforts. These proposed conservation measures would become mandatory commitments with the approval of the BA and issuance of the BO. Trapper commits to fund these projects within 45 days of issuance of the Trapper Mine BO. Further details are as follows: L Commitment for Research Purposes for the Colorado River Fish a.Water Quality Testing. Trapper will be able to provide funding in the amount of$23,280 for quarterly water quality testing in two locations along both the White River and the Yampa River, beginning in June 2016 and ending in March of 2019. This amount is designed to allow sampling for 12 quarters of data from each of the four designated sites, or a total of 48 individual water quality samples. The water from these sites will be tested for both total mercury (Hg) and methylmercury(MeHg). b. Fish Tissue Mercury Sampling. Trapper will provide $21,720 for a mercury deposition study that will be conducted by the United States Geological Survey(USGS) (in cooperation with the BLM's Little Snake Field Office) for the investigation of McHg uptake in fish tissues to be conducted in coordination with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. This study is to help the Service (and other interested parties) find out what the current mercury and selenium concentrations are in fish in the Yampa and White Rivers. Most likely a surrogate fish species (probably smallmouth bass)will need to be sampled due to the difficulty of obtaining enough endangered fish for sampling. The information obtained through these study efforts will advance the scientific understanding of the potential effects of coal combustion to the four endangered fish and will facilitate future conservation efforts for these species II. Commitment for Colorado River Fish Recovery Efforts Trapper will provide $10,000 for recovery actions that are managed by the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program (Recovery Program). Trapper will provide the funding to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to distribute to the Recovery Program. 2.0 STATUS OF THE SPECIES AND CRITICAL HABITAT The purpose of this section is to summarize the best available information regarding the current range-wide status of the four listed fish species. Additional information regarding listed species may be obtained from the sources of information cited for these species. The latest recovery goals for all four endangered fish,which provide information on species background, life history, and threats, can be found on the internet at: http://www.coloradoriverrecovely.org/documents- publications/foundational-documents/recoveiy-goals.html. 2.1 Colorado Pikeminnow 2.1.1 Species description 5