News Release Archive

Bureau of Reclamation Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary of Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program

Media Contact: Rose Davis, 702-293-8421, jdavis@usbr.gov

For Release: April 06, 2015

Boulder City, Nev. — The Bureau of Reclamation and Federal, state and local partners are gathering at the Pivot Point Conference Center in Yuma, Arizona on April 7, 2015 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP). They will also dedicate the newly created Laguna Division Conservation Area (LDCA), a conservation area of over 1,110 acres downstream of Imperial Dam.

“What we achieved in the first 10 years of the LCR MSCP is remarkable, and what we will continue to do in the future together is exciting,” said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Estevan López. “To date, 11 conservation areas are thriving along the Colorado River from Hoover Dam to the southern border with Mexico.”

Starting at 7:30 a.m. (PDT), LCR MSCP informational posters and displays will provide the backdrop for remarks from Department of the Interior Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Jennifer Gimbel, Reclamation Commissioner Estevan López, and state and local dignitaries from Nevada, Arizona and California. At 9:00 a.m., participating guests and LCR MSCP stakeholders will travel to the LCDA. At the site, Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Regional Director Terry Fulp and Larry Voyles, Director of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, will mark the official dedication of the habitat project by leading the planting of the last mesquite trees.

“The Laguna Division Conservation Area is an example of how a broad set of partners have come together to meet our common goals,” said Regional Director Fulp. “After four years of clearing, contouring, infrastructure construction and planting, the habitat project is completed for the benefit of native species.”

"These efforts demonstrate that a diverse group of committed partners can apply active conservation measures that enable a wide array of wildlife species to thrive while water resources are managed to provide the life blood to people living in America's Southwest,” added Director Voyles.

Established in 2005 as a 50-year program with equal Federal and non-Federal funding, the LCR MSCP was created to balance the use of Colorado River water resources with conservation of native species and their habitats. The program is managed by Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Region in collaboration with a Steering Committee representing 57 partner and stakeholder groups.

Media Advisory: For media planning on attending the LCR MSCP 10th Anniversary event and traveling to the dedication of the LDCA on the buses provided, please RSVP to Rose Davis at (702) 591-0029. The LCR MSCP asks that media ride the buses to protect the area from heavy vehicle traffic. High-resolution photographs and video will also be available through Reclamation.

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