Thursday, June 6, 2002 Part IV Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow; Proposed Rule VerDate May<23>2002 18:22 Jun 05, 2002 Jkt 197001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 E:\FR\FM\06JNP3.SGM pfrm17 PsN: 06JNP3 39206 Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 109 / Thursday, June 6, 2002 / Proposed Rules DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ADDRESSES: 1. Send your comments on fishes in the Rio Grande Basin, this proposed rule, the draft economic occurring from Espan˜ ola, NM, to the Fish and Wildlife Service analysis, and draft EIS to the New Gulf of Mexico (Bestgen and Platania Mexico Ecological Services Field Office, 1991). It was also found in the Pecos 50 CFR Part 17 2105 Osuna Road NE, Albuquerque, River, a major tributary of the Rio RIN 1018–AH91 NM, 87113. Written comments may also Grande, from Santa Rosa, NM, be sent by facsimile to (505) 346–2542 downstream to its confluence with the Endangered and Threatened Wildlife or through the Internet to Rio Grande (Pflieger 1980). The silvery and Plants; Designation of Critical [email protected]. You may also minnow is completely extirpated from Habitat for the Rio Grande Silvery hand-deliver written comments to our the Pecos River and from the Rio Grande Minnow New Mexico Ecological Services Field downstream of Elephant Butte Reservoir Office, at the above address. You may and upstream of Cochiti Reservoir AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, obtain copies of the proposed rule, the (Bestgen and Platania 1991). The current Interior. draft economic analysis, or the draft EIS distribution of the silvery minnow is ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of from the above address or by calling limited to the Rio Grande between availability. 505/346–2525. All documents are also Cochiti Dam and Elephant Butte Reservoir. Throughout much of its SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and available from our website at http:// historic range, decline of the silvery Wildlife Service (Service), propose to ifw2es.fws.gov/Library/. minnow has been attributed to designate critical habitat for the Rio 2. Comments and materials received, modification of the flow regime Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus as well as supporting documentation (hydrological pattern of flows that vary amarus) (silvery minnow), a species used in the preparation of this proposed seasonally in magnitude and duration, federally listed as endangered under the rule, will be available for public depending on annual precipitation authority of the Endangered Species Act inspection, by appointment, during patterns such as runoff from snowmelt) of 1973, as amended (Act). The silvery normal business hours at the New and channel drying because of minnow presently occurs only in the Mexico Ecological Services Field Office impoundments, water diversion for Rio Grande from Cochiti Dam, Sandoval (see address above). agriculture, stream channelization, and County, downstream to the headwaters 3. We will hold public hearings in perhaps both interactions with non- of Elephant Butte Reservoir, Sierra Socorro, NM, on June 25, 2002; and in native fish and decreasing water quality County, New Mexico. We propose to Albuquerque, NM, on June 26, 2002 at (Cook et al. 1992; Bestgen and Platania designate critical habitat within this last the following locations: 1991, Service 1999; Buhl 2001). remaining portion of the occupied range • Socorro, NM: New Mexico Institute It is important to note that much of in the middle Rio Grande (Cochiti Dam for Mining and Technology, Macey Center, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, New the species’ life history information to Elephant Butte Dam) in New Mexico. detailed below comes from studies The proposed critical habitat Mexico, on June 25, 2002, from 6 to 9 p.m. conducted within the middle Rio designation defines the lateral extent Grande, the current range of the (width) as those areas bounded by • Albuquerque, NM: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th Street NW, minnow. Nevertheless, we believe that existing levees or, in areas without our determinations for other areas levees, 91.4 meters (300 feet) of riparian Albuquerque, New Mexico, on June 26, 2002, from 6 to 9 p.m. outside of the middle Rio Grande, but zone adjacent to each side of the middle within the historical range of the silvery Rio Grande. We request data and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joy minnow, are consistent with the data comments from the public and all Nicholopoulos, Field Supervisor, New collected to date on the species’ interested parties on all aspects of this Mexico Ecological Services Field Office ecological requirements (e.g., Service proposed rule, including data on (see ADDRESSES above); phone: 505– 1999). economic and other relevant impacts of 346–2525. The role of the plains minnow the designation and the two areas that SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: (Hybognathus placitus) in the decline are not proposed as critical habitat. A Background and extirpation of the silvery minnow draft economic analysis, which from the Pecos River is uncertain; examines primarily economic impacts The Rio Grande silvery minnow is however, the establishment of the plains of this proposed rule, has been prepared one of seven species in the genus minnow coincided with the and is also available for review and Hybognathus found in the United States disappearance of the silvery minnow comments. This publication also (Pflieger 1980). The species was first (Bestgen and Platania 1991; Cook et al. provides notice of the availability of the described by Girard (1856) from 1992). It is believed the non-native draft economic analysis and the draft specimens taken from the Rio Grande plains minnow was introduced into the EIS for this proposed rule. We invite all near Fort Brown, Cameron County, TX. Pecos drainage prior to 1964 (Cook et al. interested parties to submit comments It is a stout silvery minnow with 1992), and was probably the result of on these draft documents and this moderately small eyes and a small, the release of ‘‘bait minnows’’ that were proposed rule. slightly oblique mouth. Adults may collected from the Arkansas River DATES: Comments. We will consider all reach 90 millimeters (mm) (3.5 inches drainage. It is unclear, however, if comments on the proposed rule, draft (in)) in total length (Sublette et al. 1990). populations of the native silvery economic analysis, and the draft EIS Its dorsal fin is distinctly pointed with minnow were depleted prior to the received from interested parties by the front of it located slightly closer to introduction of the plains minnow, or if September 4, 2002. the tip of the snout than to the base of the reduction and extirpation of the Public Hearings. We will also hold the tail. The fish is silver with emerald silvery minnow was a consequence of two public hearings to receive reflections. Its belly is silvery white, fins the interactions of the two species (C. comments from the public. The public are plain, and barbels are absent Hoagstrom, U.S. Fish and Wildlife hearings will be held in Socorro and (Sublette et al. 1990). Service, pers. comm. 2001). One theory Albuquerque, New Mexico, on June 25 This species was historically one of is that the plains minnow may be more and 26, respectively. the most abundant and widespread tolerant of modified habitats and, VerDate May<23>2002 18:22 Jun 05, 2002 Jkt 197001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\06JNP3.SGM pfrm17 PsN: 06JNP3 Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 109 / Thursday, June 6, 2002 / Proposed Rules 39207 therefore, was able to replace the silvery apparently collected in the late 1950s water) (59 FR 36988; Dudley and minnow in the degraded reaches of the (Trevino-Robinson 1959; Hubbs et al. Platania 2001). Pecos River. Nevertheless, the plains 1977; Edwards and Contreras-Balderas The various life history stages of the minnow has experienced population 1991). silvery minnow require shallow waters declines within its native range from Decline of the species in the middle with a sandy and silty substrate that is highly variable water levels, unstable Rio Grande probably began in 1916 generally associated with a meandering streambeds, and fluctuating water when the gates at Elephant Butte Dam river that includes sidebars, oxbows, temperatures (Cross et al. 1985 cited in were closed. Construction of the dam and backwaters (C. Hoagstrom, pers. Taylor and Miller 1990). Although the signaled the beginning of an era of comm, 2001; Bestgen and Platania 1991; interactions (e.g., hybridization or mainstem Rio Grande dam construction Platania 1991). However, physical competition) between the silvery that resulted in five major mainstem modifications to the Rio Grande over the minnow and the introduced plains dams within the silvery minnow’s last century—including the construction minnow are believed by some to be one historic range (Shupe and Williams of dams, levees, and channelization of of the primary causes for the extirpation 1988). These dams allowed the mainstem—have altered much of the of the silvery minnow in the Pecos manipulation and diversion of the flow habitat that is necessary for the species River, this hypothesis is unsubstantiated of the river. Often this manipulation to persist (Service 1999). Channelization (Hatch et al. 1985; Bestgen et al. 1989; severely altered the flow regime and has straightened and shortened Cook et al. 1992). Currently, New likely precipitated the decline of the mainstem river reaches; increased the Mexico State University is conducting silvery minnow (Bestgen and Platania velocity of the current; and altered research on the plains minnow and 1991). Concurrent with construction of riparian vegetation, instream cover, and silvery minnow to determine if the two the mainstem dams was an increase in substrate composition (U.S.