Upper Colorado Region

The Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), is considering whether to implement a proposed action under which the Flaming Gorge Dam would be operated to achieve the flow and temperature regimes recommended in the September 2000 report "Flow and Temperature Recommendations for Endangered Fishes in the Green River Downstream of Flaming Gorge Dam (2000 Flow and Temperature Recommendations), published by the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program. The 2000 Flow and Temperature Recommendations specifically describe the peak flows, durations, water temperatures, and base flow criteria recommended to protect and assist in the recover of endangered fish species.

Reclamation proposed to take action to protect and assist in the recovery of the populations and designated critical habitat of the four endangered fishes found in the Green and Colorado River Basins (Proposed Action). The four endangered fish species are humpback chub (Gila cypha), Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), and bonytail (Gila elegans).

The purpose of the Proposed Action is to operate Flaming Gorge Dam to protect and assist in recovery of the populations and designated critical habitat of the four endangered fishes, while maintaining all authorized purposes of the Flaming Gorge Unit of the CRSP, particularly those related to the development of water resources in accordance with the Colorado River Compact.

RECORD OF DECISION - Operation of Flaming Gorge Dam (February 16, 2006)