Recovery Implementation

Program for Endangered 

Fish Species in the Upper

Colorado River Basin 

and 

San Juan River Basin Recovery

Implementation Program

briefing book

2000 Washington, D.C. 
Geographic Scope

The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery

Program covers the Colorado River and its tributaries in

Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.

The San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program

covers the San Juan River and its tributaries in Colorado,

Utah, and New Mexico.

Farmington
Table of Contents

Requested FY 2001 Congressional Action Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Endangered Fish Status and Recovery Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Program Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Highlights of Recovery Program Accomplishments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Habitat Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Habitat Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Native Fish Propagation and Stocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Research, Monitoring, and Data Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Nonnative Species Management, Sportfishing and Public Information/Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Long-term Funding Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Program Expenditures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Water Project Consultations Under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Letters of Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Washington, D.C. Participants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . inside back cover

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program 1

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish 

Recovery Program and San Juan River Basin Recovery

Implementation Program

2000 Washington, D.C. 

Briefing Book
Fish and Wildlife Service Budget

1. Support Fish and Wildlife Service funding for the

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery

Program ($706,000 requested in “recovery” funds) 

Projects to be funded are:

 Fish and Wildlife Service program management:

Funding covers salaries and expenses of Program

Director and staff.

 Interagency standardized monitoring program:

This activity supports Service participation in 

monitoring fish populations (including stocked fish)

and their responses to recovery actions.

 Data management: The Service maintains all fish data

collected in the Recovery Program in computerized

form to facilitate analysis. This includes maintaining

the overall database, summarizing data, and providing

an annual listing of all tagged fish.

2 2000 Washington, D.C. Briefing Book 

2. Support Fish and Wildlife Service funds for 

operation of the Ouray National Fish Hatchery 

(Total: $327,000— $322,000 for fish hatchery 

operation; $5,000 for annual maintenance)

The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program

requests Congressional support to operate the Service’s National

Fish Hatchery in Ouray, Utah. Funding will enable the hatchery

to continue to raise and hold endangered fish for stocking,

research, and refugia (adult fish for spawning and maintaining gene pool.)

3. Support Fish and Wildlife Service funding for the San

Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program

($106,000 requested in Region 2’s “recovery” funds) 

Projects to be funded are:

 Fish and Wildlife Service program management:

Funding supports partial salary for the coordinator and,

funding permitting, dollars for research and monitoring.

Requested FY 2001 

Congressional Action Items

Fish and Wildlife Service Funding

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program 

 $706,000 requested in “recovery” funds

 $327,000 requested for operation and maintenance of Ouray National Fish Hatchery

San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program

 $106,000 requested in Region 2’s “recovery” funds

Bureau of Reclamation Funding

 $6.861 million in “Endangered Species Recovery Programs and Activities” for the 

Upper Colorado Region. ($4.887 million for Upper Colorado River; $1.394 million 

for San Juan River Basin) 

Details of these requests follow. All funding recommendations are included in the President’s proposed budget for FY 2001.

Participants in the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin Recovery

Implementation Program would like to make the following requests of Congress for FY 2001.
Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program 3

Bureau of Reclamation Budget

1. Support Bureau of Reclamation funds for the Upper

Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery and San

Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Programs.

Upper Colorado River and San Juan River Basin Recovery

Program participants request Congressional support for

$6.861 million for FY 2001 in “Endangered Species

Recovery Programs and Activities for the Upper Colorado

Region.” This amount is included in the Administration’s

proposed FY 2001 budget for Reclamation. It would provide the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery

Program with $4.887 million, the San Juan River Basin

Recovery Implementation Program with $1.394 million

and Activities to Avoid Jeopardy with $535,000. It also

includes a request for $45,000 to fund research associated

with the habitat needs of the Kanab Amber Snail. The

$4.887 million, supported by Upper Basin participants,

would be used for water acquisition and capital construction projects including:

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish 

Recovery Program Activities

 Fish passage: Reclamation funds will be used to construct a fish ladder on the Colorado River at the Grand

Valley Project. This activity will benefit razorback

suckers and Colorado pikeminnows by giving them

access to more of their historic habitat.

 Water acquisition: Reclamation initiatives include:

• Modification and automation of canals to more 

efficiently operate irrigation projects near Grand

Junction, Colorado, and dedicating the “saved”

water to endangered fish.

• Using water stored in several smaller Reclamation

reservoirs to enhance late-summer flows in the

Colorado River.

• Coordinating Federal and private reservoir operations

in the Colorado River headwaters to enhance spring

peak flows downstream.

 Floodplain restoration: Funding is needed in FY

2001 to continue land acquisition, levee removal, and

other floodplain restoration activities at high priority

sites. Restoring these floodplains is thought to be

especially important for endangered razorback suckers

and will benefit a variety of wetland-dependent wildlife.

 Endangered fish growout ponds: Existing hatcheries

and native fish production facilities fall short of meeting stocking needs. Funding is needed in FY 2001 to

excavate or locate at least 100 acres of growout ponds

to raise razorback suckers and other endangered fish

for further stocking in the Green, Colorado, and

Gunnison rivers.

 Diversion canal screening: Funding is needed in FY

2001 to construct a screen at the Grand Valley Irrigation

Company Diversion Canal to prevent endangered fish

from being drawn out of the river and into the canals.

(The habitat above the diversion is used by adult endangered fish.) Funding in the amount of $2,110,000

is also needed to construct a screen at the Tusher Wash

Diversion Canal to prevent fish from being entrained

into irrigation canals and the power plant.

San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation

Program Activities

 The Biology Committee is developing a long-term capital facilities plan.The most likely capital expenditures

for FY 2001 will be to provide fish passage at Hogback

and Cudei diversion dams in New Mexico and planning

and designing passage structures at other locations on

the San Juan River. Current maintenance of the Hogback

Diversion structure requires extensive annual use of

heavy equipment in the stream channel to rebuild the

structure after spring flood events. Funding will be used

for that portion of the construction that benefits the endangered fish. A fortified diversion structure that incorporates a fish passage channel into the design will be

constructed.The Cudei diversion is a rock and earthen

structure that impedes the ability of fish to move upstream

and will be removed and replaced with a siphon that

does not block the stream channel.
Colorado Pikeminnow

Status

 Since 1991, Colorado pikeminnow captures have doubled

in the Colorado River. Currently, the population is estimated

at 768 adults. In the Green/Yampa River Basin, captures in

the Green River have tripled since the early 1980s, indicating that the population is expanding.

 The State of Colorado downlisted the Colorado pikeminnow

from “State-endangered” to “State-threatened” in 1998.

 In the San Juan River, the Colorado pikeminnow population

appears to be less than 100.

4 2000 Washington, D.C. Briefing Book 

Recovery Highlights

 Construction of the Redlands Fish Ladder on the Gunnison

River opened up 57 miles of historic habitat.The completion

of two passageways on the upper Colorado River will yield

another 55 miles. Combined, these passageways will triple

the available habitat for adult Colorado pikeminnow and

razorback suckers in the upper Colorado River.

 Greater numbers of young Colorado pikeminnow survived

than expected when stocked into the San Juan River. It appears

some will become part of the reproducing adult population.

Endangered Fish 

Status and Recovery Highlights

Upper Colorado River and San Juan River Recovery Programs

Razorback Sucker

Status

 The population continues to decline in some areas of the Upper

Colorado River Basin. Because of its scarcity, this species has

been given highest priority for hatchery raising and stocking.

 The Green River contains fewer than 500 wild razorbacks

that biologists believe represent a spawning population.

 No wild razorback suckers have been found recently in 

the San Juan River.

Recovery Highlights

 More than 10,000 razorback suckers have been raised 

and stocked in the Upper Colorado River Basin to date.

Another 10,000 will be stocked in 2000.

 Between 1994 and 1999, 5,103 razorback suckers 

were stocked in the San Juan River.Young razorback 

suckers found in the river indicate that formerly stocked

razorback suckers are surviving and spawning.
During the past several years, the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program has mounted an extensive

effort to establish state-of-the-art hatcheries that raise endangered

fish and protect them from extinction.These facilities are enabling

the Recovery Program to meet approved stocking plans. In the

future, the Recovery Program plans to stock 2,040,000 razorback

suckers, 755,800 bonytails, and 21,600 Colorado pikeminnows.

Many hatchery-raised stocked fish will not survive in the wild,

underscoring the need to continue to make habitat improvements

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program 5

Humpback Chub

Status

 Populations appear healthy and stable in most areas of the

Upper Colorado River Basin.The population at Blackrocks

and Westwater canyons, near the Colorado-Utah border,

is estimated at 3,500.

Recovery Highlights

 The Recovery Program is currently developing population

estimates for the entire Upper Colorado River Basin.

Bonytail

Status

 This is the rarest of the four endangered Colorado River

fish species. Before stocking began, bonytails had virtually

disappeared in the Upper Colorado River Basin.

Recovery Highlights

 More than 20,000 bonytails have been raised and stocked

in the Colorado River since 1996. Another 13,000 have

been released in the Green River. A total of 64,000 more

will be stocked in the Green and Colorado Rivers in 2000.

This is the first time bonytails will be stocked in the State

of Colorado.

initiated by the Recovery Program. These include building fish

passageways, improving stream flows, and restoring wetland habitat. Biologists believe these habitat improvements are essential to the

success of stocking efforts and to recovery of endangered fish in the

Colorado and San Juan River Basins.

NOTE: Recovery goals for all four species of endangered fish are being developed

with expected completion and approval in 2000.The goals will identify the demographic and genetic viability of populations and address threats to each species.

Illustrations © Joseph R. Tomelleri
The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery

Program is an interagency partnership created to recover

the endangered Colorado pikeminnow, razorback sucker,

humpback chub, and bonytail while allowing for continued and

future water development.The Recovery Program was initiated in

1988 when a cooperative agreement was signed by the Governors

of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming; the Secretary of the Interior;

and the Administrator of Western Area Power Administration.

Program Partners

 Colorado River Energy Distributors Association

 Colorado Water Congress

 Environmental Defense 

 State of Colorado

 State of Utah

 State of Wyoming

 The Nature Conservancy 

 U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

 Utah Water Users Association

 Western Area Power Administration

 Wyoming Water Association

6 2000 Washington, D.C. Briefing Book 

Program Elements

 Habitat management includes identifying and acquiring

instream flows, changing operations of Federal dams, and

operating other reservoirs in a coordinated manner to

benefit endangered fish.

 Habitat development includes restoring floodplain/wetland habitats and constructing fish passageways around

dams and other barriers in the river.

 Native fish propagation and genetic management involves

establishing facilities to hold adult broodstock to prevent

extinction of these rare fish and maintain their genetic

resources; develop growout ponds; conduct research to

improve survival of endangered fish raised in captivity and

stocked in the wild; and support appropriate stocking and

reintroduction efforts.

 Nonnative species and sportfishing entails managing 

detrimental nonnative fish species in habitat considered

“critical” to endangered fish.This also involves educating

and distributing information to anglers to reduce accidental capture of endangered fish.

 Research, monitoring and data management provides

information about what these fish need to survive, grow,

and reproduce in the wild. Efforts include compiling data

on the numbers, sizes, and locations of endangered fish;

monitoring endangered fish population trends; and making river flow recommendations.

Program Overview

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program
Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program 7

The San Juan River Endangered Fish Recovery Implementation Program was established in 1991 to protect

and recover two species of endangered fish in the San

Juan River Basin while water development proceeds in compliance with all applicable Federal and State laws, including fulfillment of Federal trust responsibilities to several Indian tribes. It

is anticipated that actions taken under this Program to recover

the Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker will provide

benefits to other native fishes in the basin and prevent them

from becoming endangered in the future.

Program Partners 

 Jicarilla Apache Tribe

 Navajo Nation

 Southern Ute Tribe

 Ute Mountain Ute Tribe

 State of Colorado 

 State of New Mexico

 U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs

 U.S. Bureau of Land Management

 U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

 Water Development Interests

Program Elements

 Protection of genetic integrity, management and augmentation of populations involves obtaining tissues of populations of endangered fish and comparing them with other

basins, evaluating the efficacy of using neutered fish to

locate spawning habitats, establishing refugia with stock

taken from the wild, and augmenting wild populations of

endangered fish species.

 Protection, management, and augmentation of habitat

involves identifying important reaches of the San Juan

River for different life stages of the endangered fish by

mapping current conditions, determining the need for

physical modification of habitats, and monitoring flow

needs and effects on the habitat.

 Water quality protection and enhancement involves monitoring existing water quality conditions, evaluating historic information, identifying types and sources of contamination, and investigating changes in water chemistry.

 Interactions between native and nonnative fish species

involves determining the distribution and abundance of

nonnative species, identifying and characterizing habitats

used by the nonnative fish, and discontinuing stocking of

nonnative species in areas where endangered fish occur.

 Monitoring and data management is needed to evaluate

status and trends of endangered fish species as well as

other native and nonnative species and to define the overall success of the Recovery Program.

San Juan River Endangered Fish Recovery Implementation Program
Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program

 Biological synthesis reports were completed.The reports

will be used to prepare programmatic biological opinions

for Flaming Gorge Dam on the Green River and Aspinall

Unit Dam on the Gunnison River.

 Utah’s State Engineer enacted a water-rights policy protecting Green River flows from Flaming Gorge Dam downstream to the Duchesne River.

 Since 1998, a cooperative effort of public and private

organizations has resulted in management of releases of

30,000 acre-feet of surplus water from Green Mountain

Reservoir and coordinated releases from Ruedi and

Wolford Mountain Reservoirs.This effort, combined with

releases from other reservoirs, meets the Service’s flow 

recommendations for the endangered fishes.

 The final 15-Mile Reach Programmatic Biological Opinion

was signed in 1999.The opinion provides Endangered

Species Act compliance for 1 million acre-feet per year of

existing depletions and 120,000 acre-feet per year of new

depletions in the Colorado River above the confluence

with the Gunnison River.

 Recovery Program participants coordinated operations 

of several reservoirs in Colorado during spring 1997–

1999 to provide additional flows in the Colorado River 

of about 2,500 cubic feet per second for one week during

spring runoff.

 Colorado State Parks, the Colorado Water Conservation

Board, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have developed

an agreement to release up to 3,300 acre-feet of water

annually from Steamboat Lake.

 Since 1988, the Service has consulted on more than 220

projects in the Upper Basin using the Recovery Program 

as a reasonable and prudent alternative.The Service simplified the section 7 consultation process by waiving fees 

for water projects that deplete less than 100 acre-feet of

water per year.

8 2000 Washington, D.C. Briefing Book 

San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program

 A seven-year research program was completed in 1999.

 Flow recommendations for the San Juan River Program

were approved in 1999.

 The Bureau of Reclamation has altered the timing and

magnitude of releases from Navajo Dam.

 A long-range action plan will be completed in Fiscal 

Year 2000.

Highlights of

Recovery Program Accomplishments

Habitat Management

COOPERATIVE EFFORTS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS RESULTS IN COORDINATED RELEASES 

OF WATER FROM RESERVOIRS SUCH AS RUEDI IN WESTERN COLORADO.
Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program

 A 350-foot-long fish ladder, completed at Redlands

Diversion Dam on the Gunnison River in 1996 has allowed

passage of 47 endangered Colorado pikeminnow and more

than 34,000 other native fish.

 A fish passageway was completed in January 1998 at the

Grand Valley Irrigation Company Diversion Dam on the

Colorado River.

 Floodplain/wetland habitat has been improved to benefit

endangered fish at five Bureau of Land Management sites

on the Green River and three sites at the Ouray National

Wildlife Refuge near Vernal, Utah, as well as two sites on

the Colorado River near Grand Junction.

 The Recovery Program has acquired easements on eight

properties along the Green and Colorado rivers for a total

of 580 acres of protected habitat.

San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program

 Flow regimes to restore native fish habitat have 

been implemented.

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program 9

Habitat Development

THE REDLANDS FISH LADDER HAS ALLOWED 47 COLORADO PIKEMINNOW AND MORE THAN 

34,OOO OTHER NATIVE FISH SPECIES TO MIGRATE AROUND THE 12-FOOT DAM AND REACH KNOWN 

SPAWNING HABITAT UPSTREAM IN THE COLORADO RIVER. 

Native Fish Propagation and Stocking

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program

The following hatchery facilities have been established in

Colorado and Utah:

 Ouray National Fish Hatchery (Utah):This 36-pond facility

was established as a refuge for razorback suckers from the

Green River basin.

 Wahweap Endangered Fish Facility (Utah):This site currently

provides 23 ponds to raise bonytail to prevent extinction

in the wild and for stocking into the Green, Colorado, and

Gunnison rivers.

 Grand Valley Endangered Fish Facility (Colorado):This

consists of 24 Road Hatchery, Horsethief Canyon ponds

and additional growout ponds:

• The 24 Road Hatchery hatches razorback sucker eggs,

raises larvae from different parent fish, and maintains

genetic diversity similar to that of wild populations.

• Horsethief Canyon State Wildlife Area uses six ponds to

maintain razorback sucker adults for future production.

• Grand Valley has approximately 25 acres of ponds used

to grow fish to larger sizes before stocking into the river.

San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program 

 Native fish propagation and stocking has focused on stocking razorback suckers in growout ponds and about 4,000

in the San Juan River.Young Colorado pikeminnow are

being stocked in the San Juan River.

THE OURAY NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY IS ONE OF FIVE FACILITIES THE RECOVERY PROGRAM 

ESTABLISHED TO RAISE ENDANGERED FISH. THESE HATCHERIES AND PONDS HAVE RAISED THOUSANDS 

OF THE TWO RAREST SPECIES—RAZORBACK SUCKERS AND BONYTAILS—FOR STOCKING IN THE WILD.
Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program

 Federal and State wildlife agencies in Colorado, Utah, and

Wyoming have finalized an agreement in 1996 on stocking

of nonnative sport fish called Nonnative Fish Stocking Procedures. In 1998, the Colorado Division of Wildlife incorporated this agreement into its State stocking requirements.

 To date, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Colorado

Division of Wildlife, and the Service have removed more

than 20,000 nonnative channel catfish, 10,000 nonnative

sunfish and bass, and 200,000 nonnative minnows from

rivers in the Upper Colorado River Basin.

 A project to remove and relocate nonnative adult northern

pike from the Yampa River was initiated in 1999.

 Chemical reclamation of ponds adjacent to the Colorado

and Gunnison rivers to reduce sources contributing nonnative fishes to riverine habitats started in 1998 and continued in 1999.To date, 104 ponds have been surveyed,

and 19 have been chemically reclaimed.This project continues in 2000.

 A fish barrier net was installed in 1999 in Highline Lake

Reservoir near Grand Junction, Colorado, to reduce

escapement of nonnative sport fishes from the reservoir

and into reaches of critical habitat in the Colorado River.

10 2000 Washington, D.C. Briefing Book 

 Recovery Program participants have coordinated public involvement activities for key Recovery Program actions, including

Colorado instream flow acquisition, construction of fish passageways, coordinated reservoir operations, water releases from Ruedi

Reservoir, development and implementation of nonnative fish

stocking procedures, acquisition and restoration of wetland

habitat,Yampa River and Grand Valley water management.

 The Recovery Program produces a wide range of educational materials, including a newsletter, brochure, video,

and portable and permanent interpretive exhibits.

 The Recovery Program maintains a Web site at

www.r6.fws.gov/coloradoriver 

San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program

 In the San Juan River system, nonnative fish can be an

impediment to the survival of native fish. Some species,

such as channel catfish, are being directly controlled while

control of other species, such as the red shiner, is being

attempted through restoration of the natural flow regime

and restoration of river habitat.

 Full participation of the public in the San Juan River

Recovery Implementation Program is invited through open

public meetings.The San Juan River Program also maintains a Web site at http://southwest.fws.gov/sjrip.

THROUGH RESEARCH AND MONITORING, BIOLOGISTS HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE 

NUMBER OF COLORADO PIKEMINNOW CAPTURES HAVE DOUBLED IN THE COLORADO RIVER SINCE 1991.

Research, Monitoring, and Data Management

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program

 Federal and State biologists completed a comprehensive

report summarizing the first seven years of efforts to track

endangered native and nonnative fish populations.

 A population estimate for Colorado pikeminnow on the

Colorado River was initiated in 1991–1994. At that time

the Colorado pikeminnow population was estimated at

around 600 adults.The 1998–1999 estimates were around

768, indicating an increase.

 The Recovery Program is in the process of carrying out

population estimates for all four endangered fish species

throughout the Upper Basin.

San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program

 Research addresses young fish identification, habitat mapping,

effects of flow regimes on nonnative fish, evaluation of

stocked razorback sucker, and study of contaminants.The

Nonnative Species, Sportfishing and Public Information/Involvement

young, juvenile, and adult fish communities, and fish health,

are being monitored. Monitoring also includes channel

morphology and aspects of the river water. A large data

management aspect is the GIS-based integrated database.
Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program 11

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PROJECT LEADER FRANK PFEIFER (CENTER) EXPLAINS HOW THE RECOVERY PROGRAM PROVIDES FISH PASSAGE AT THE REDLANDS DIVERSION DAM 

ON THE GUNNISON RIVER. HIS AUDIENCE IS HOUSE AND SENATE STAFF AND FEDERAL AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES FROM UTAH, COLORADO AND WYOMING WHO PARTICIPATED IN A SPECIAL TOUR 

HOSTED BY THE COLORADO RIVER ENERGY DISTRIBUTORS ASSOCIATION (CREDA), IN AUGUST 1999.

The success of both Recovery Programs depends on obtaining sufficient funds to implement recovery activities

such as those identified in the Upper Colorado River

Endangered Fish Recovery Action Plan. The Federal portion 

of the remaining capital costs for implementing the Upper

Colorado River and San Juan River Basin Recovery Programs 

is estimated at $46 million, plus $17 million from the States 

and another $17 million from power users. The funding is

needed to complete a variety of capital projects, which include

building fish ladders, acquiring water, constructing hatchery

facilities, and acquiring and restoring floodplain habitats used by

endangered fish.

In October 1994, the Recovery Program’s Implementation

Committee formed an Ad Hoc Committee to develop a long-term

funding strategy for the Recovery Program. The San Juan River

Basin Recovery Implementation Program also was invited to participate in the discussions because of both Programs’ linkage to

the Colorado River Storage Project revenues, a funding source for

these Programs.

Participants in the discussions have included:

 States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming;

 Water, power, and environmental groups;

 Several Indian tribes;

 Fish and Wildlife Service;

 Bureau of Reclamation;

 Western Area Power Administration;

 Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Staff from the House Resources Committee and the Utah

and Colorado Congressional delegations have been involved in

several of the Ad Hoc Committee’s meetings.

House Bill 2348 was introduced to Congress in 1999.The bill

authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to provide cost sharing for

the Upper Colorado River and San Juan River Basin Endangered Fish

Recovery Implementation Programs.The House Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power heard testimony on October 21, 1999.

Senate Bill S.2239 was introduced March 9, 2000.The legislation

is expected to pass in 2000.

Long-term Funding Legislation

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program

and San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program

Photo by Richard Judd and courtesy of CREDA
12 2000 Washington, D.C. Briefing Book 

Expenditures

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program

Total Expenditures = $81,714,600 (FYs 1989–2000)

INSTREAM FLOW IDENTIFICATION

AND PROTECTION

36%

PROGRAM 

MANAGEMENT

13%

PROPAGATION AND GENETICS 

MANAGEMENT

13%

HABITAT

RESTORATION

24%

RECLAMATION 

(CAPITAL)

$34,908,900

RECLAMATION ANNUAL

(POWER REVENUES)

$22,975,700

FISH & WILDLIFE 

SERVICE

$13,734,800

COLORADO

$5,747,200

WATER USERS

$1,868,800

FY 88 APPROPRIATION

$973,000

UTAH

$1,152,000

WYOMING

$354,200

INFORMATION, EDUCATION

AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

1%

RESEARCH AND 

MONITORING

7%

NONNATIVE 

FISH MANAGEMENT

6%

Percentage Expenditures by Category (FY 2000 only)
Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program 13

Expenditures

San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program

Total Expenditures = $11,959,500 (FYs 1992–2000)

(Not including in-kind contributions)

BUREAU OF

INDIAN AFFAIRS

$5,560,500

BUREAU OF

RECLAMATION

$3,842,200

WATER USERS*

$1,220,600

FISH & WILDLIFE

SERVICE

$960,500

BUREAU OF LAND 

MANAGEMENT

$250,000

SOUTHERN UTE TRIBE

$111,700

JICARILLA APACHE TRIBE

$14,000

MONITORING

42%

RECOVERY

EFFORTS

14%

MANAGEMENT/

REPORTING

18%

RESEARCH

26%

* Future reimbursement of Bureau of Reclamation

funding by Animas-La Plata Water Users

Percentage Expenditures by Category (FY 2000 only)
14 2000 Washington, D.C. Briefing Book 

Table 1

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program

Summary of Section 7 Consultations

(1/1998 through 12/31/1999)

Table 2

San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program

Summary of Section 7 Consultations

State Acre-feet/yr Acre-feet/yr Acre-feet/yr

New Mexico 1,3 446,500.00 124,000.00 570,500.00

Colorado 2,3 146,000.00 57,100.00 203,100.00

Totals 592,500.00 181,100.00 773,600.00

1 New depletion includes minor depletions (less than 100 AF), estimated at 3,000 AF and blocks 9–11, Navajo Indian Irrigation Project.

2 New depletion associated with Animas-La Plata Project.

3 Source: 1996 Animas-La Plata Project Biological Opinion.

Water Project Consultations

Under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act

Number of

State Consultations Acre-feet/yr Acre-feet/yr Acre-feet/yr Depletion Fees4

Colorado 1 162 1,005,055.79 142,476.31 1,147,532.10 $ 323,344

Utah 26 421,717.74 59,226.95 480,944.69 360,232

Wyoming 29 3,316.00 13,034.09 16,350.09 150,339

Regional 2,3 3 0.00 6,000.00 6,000.00 0

Totals 220 1,430,089.53 220,737.35 1,650,826.88 $ 833,915

1 Includes Colorado River Biological Opinion, 12/20/99, on 1 million AF/yr of historic depletions and 120,000 AF/yr of new depletions.

Depletion charges on new depletions will be assessed as individual consultations occur.

2 Depletion charges waived by USFWS for consultations on depletions of less than 100 AF/yr.

3 Represent “blanket” consultations for depletions under 100 AF/yr, up to 6,000 AF/yr total.These consultations have covered 355 small projects

depleting 5,080 AF/yr as of 12/31/99 (3,798 AF/yr in Colorado, 795 AF/yr in Utah, and 487 AF/yr in Wyoming).

4 Pre-FY 1990: $10/AF; FY 2000: $14.36/AF.

Historic New

Depletions Depletions Totals

Historic New

Depletions Depletions Totals
The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery

and San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation

Programs have a broad range of supporters. Letters

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program 15

Other letters of support were sent to Congress by:

 Animas-La Plata Water Conservancy District, Durango, Colorado

Richard K. Griswold, President, Board of Directors

 Board of Water Works of Pueblo, Colorado

Alan C. Hamel, Executive Director

 Central Utah Water Conservancy District

Don A. Christiansen, General Manager

 Colorado Department of Natural Resources

Greg E. Walcher, Executive Director

 Colorado River Water Conservation District, Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Eric Kuhn, Secretary-Engineer

 Colorado Springs Utilities

Leah D. Ash, Director, Water Resources Department

 Colorado Water Congress

Frank E. “Sam” Maynes, Chairman, CWC Federal Affairs Committee

 Denver Board of Water Commissioners

H.J. Barry, III, Manager

 Wyoming State Engineer

Gordon W. “Jeff” Fassett

 New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission

Thomas C.Turney, Secretary

 Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, Loveland, Colorado

Eric W. Wilkinson, General Manager

 Public Service Company of New Mexico 

Patrick J. Goodman,Vice President, Power Production

Letters of Support

signed by Colorado Governor Bill Owens, Utah Governor

Michael Leavitt,Wyoming Governor Jim Geringer, and members

of Congress are included.
16 2000 Washington, D.C. Briefing Book 
Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program 17
18 2000 Washington, D.C. Briefing Book 
Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program 19
20 2000 Washington, D.C. Briefing Book 
John Shields

Chair, Management Committee

Upper Colorado River Recovery Program

Wyoming State Engineer’s Office

Herschler Building, 4th East

Cheyenne, WY 82002-0370

307-777-6151 307-777-5451 Fax

jshiel@state.wy.us

Greg Walcher

Executive Director

Colorado Department of Natural Resources

1313 Sherman Street, Room 718

Denver, CO 80203

303-866-4902 303-866-2115 Fax

greg.walcher@state.co.us

Peter Evans

Director

Colorado Water Conservation Board

1313 Sherman Street, Room 823

Denver, CO 80203

303-866-3441 303-866-4474 Fax

peter.evans@state.co.us

Kathleen Clarke

Executive Director

Utah Department of Natural Resources

P.O. Box 145610

Salt Lake City, UT 84114-5610

801-538-7200 801-538-7316 Fax

nradm.kclarke@state.ut.us

Robert King

Chief, Interstate Streams

Utah Division of Water Resources

P.O. Box 146201

Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6201

801-538-7259 801-538-7279 Fax

nrwres.rking@state.ut.us

Wayne Cook

Executive Director

Upper Colorado River Commission

355 South 400 East

Salt Lake City, UT 84111

801-531-1150 801-531-9705 Fax

wcook@uc.usbr.gov

Randy Kirkpatrick

Executive Director

San Juan Water Commission

800 Municipal Drive

Farmington, NM 87401

505-599-1462 505-599-1463 Fax

sjwc@cyberport.com

Leslie James

Executive Director

Colorado River Energy Distributors Association

1600 West Broadway Road, Suite 111

Tempe, AZ 85282

480-557-0987 480-557-0988 Fax

creda@uswest.net

Robert Wigington

Western Water Attorney

The Nature Conservancy 

2060 Broadway, Suite 230

Boulder, CO 80302

303-444-1060 303-541-0346 Fax

rwigington@tnc.org

Ted Illston

Senior Policy Advisor for Army Corps of Engineers

The Nature Conservancy 

4245 North Fairfax Drive

Arlington,VA 22203

703-841-4592 703-841-7400 Fax

tillston@tnc.org

Tom Pitts

Water Users’ Representative, Upper Colorado River and San Juan Recovery Programs

(New Mexico, Colorado, Utah,Wyoming)

Water Consult

535 North Garfield Avenue

Loveland, CO 80537

970-667-8690 970-667-8692 Fax

h2orus@waterconsult.com

Henry Maddux

Director

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

P.O. Box 25486, DFC

Denver, CO 80225

303-236-2985, ext. 223 303-236-5262 Fax

henry_maddux@fws.gov

Recovery Program Participants

Washington, D.C.Visit—April 12–18, 2000
Upper Colorado River Endangered

Fish Recovery Program

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

P.O. Box 25486, DFC

Denver, CO 80225

303-236-2985, ext. 223

303-236-5262 Fax

www.r6.fws.gov/coloradoriver

San Juan River Basin Recovery

Implementation Program

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

P.O. Box 1306

Albuquerque, NM 87103

505-248-6806

505-248-6460 Fax

http://southwest.fws.gov/sjrip