2010-11-22_REVISION - M2009023 (7)

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suggesting some focus, such as spawning, for the aggregation (Ryden 2000b). In 1998, two larval razorback suckers were collected between Montezuma Creek and Bluff, Utah, downstream of the 1997 aggregation site (Ryden 2000c). In April of 1999, two ripe male razorback suckers and one gravid female were collected within a few feet of the 1997 aggregation. All three fish were from the November 1994 stocking. All of the adult razorback suckers that were suspected to be spawning were part of the 939 fish stocked between 1994 and 1996. Between May 4 and June 14, 1999, 7 larval razorback suckers were collected below the suspected spawning site (Ryden 2000c). In spring 2000, 129 larval razorback suckers were collected and in spring 2001, 50 larval razorback suckers were collected in the San Juan River between RM 8.1 and 1'24.8 (University of New Mexico, unpublished data). Larvae collected at RM 124.8 demonstrate that stocked razorback sucker are spawning upstream of the known spawning location at RM 100.2. ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE The environmental baseline includes the past and present impacts of all Federal, State, and private actions and other human activities in the action area; the anticipated impacts of all proposed Federal projects in the action area, that have already undergone formal section 7 consultation; and the impact of State or private actions contemporaneous with the consultation process. In formulating this opinion, the Service considered adverse and beneficial effects likely to result from cumulative effects of future State and private activities that are reasonably certain to occur within the Project area, along with the direct and indirect effects of the Project and impacts from actions that are part of the environmental baseline (50 CFR 402.02 and 402.14 (g)(3)). Status of the Specs within the Action Area An action area is defined as the entire area that is affected by the action. For the Long Hollow Reservoir Project, the action area includes designated critical habitat on the San Juan River for the Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker from the confluence of the La Plata River downstream to Lake Powell. The status of the Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker within the action area is described above under the "Analysis of Species/Critical Habitat Likely to be Affected." Factors Affecting Species Environment within the Action Area Destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat is defined in 50 CFR 402.02 as a direct or indirect alteration that appreciably diminishes the value of critical habitat for both the survival and recovery of listed species. In considering the biological basis for designating critical habitat, the Service focused on the primary physical and biological elements that are essential to the conservation of the species without consideration of land or water ownership or management. The Service has identified water, physical habitat, and biological environment as the primary constituent elements. This includes a quantity of water of sufficient quality that is delivered to a specific location in accordance with a hydrologic regime that is required for the particular life stage for each species. Water depletions reduce the ability of the river system to provide the required water quantity and hydrologic regime necessary for recovery of the fishes. The physical habitat includes areas of the San Juan River system below Farmington, New Mexico, that are 16