Fish Hatchery Production Plan
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revised fish hatchery production plan final environmental assessment NOTE: In May 2006, the Mitigation Commission revised this 1998 Plan Revision to make minor changes to two cold-water hatcheries included herein: Whiterocks State Fish Hatchery and Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery. Project production levels and funding at all other facilities included in this 1998 Plan remain unchanged. The 2006 revision is located at the end of this 1998 Plan. U.s. fish and wildlife service utah reclamation mitigation and conservation commission february 1998 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 PURPOSE, NEED AND ISSUES Introduction .............................................................1-1 Background .............................................................1-1 Purpose and Need ........................................................1-2 Proposed Action ..........................................................1-9 Issue Identification........................................................1-12 CHAPTER 2 proposed action and ALTERNATIVES Introduction .............................................................2-1 No Action Alternative.....................................................2-1 Proposed Action Alternative ................................................2-2 Maximum Capacity Alternative..............................................2-4 Alternatives Considered But Eliminated.......................................2-4 CHAPTER 3 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS Analysis................................................................3-1 Purpose and Need ........................................................3-7 Chapter 4 References, acronyms and definitions References..............................................................4-1 Acronyms ...............................................................4-2 Definitions..............................................................4-3 Chapter 5 comments and responses Comments and Responses ..................................................5-1 Comment Letters.........................................................5-45 appendices a workgroup membership and plan history .......... A-1 b CRSP-affected area waters............................ B-1 c management objectives and fish needs .............. C-1 d division Fish stocking and transfer procedures.... D-1 e site specific feasibility review ........................ E-1 f meeting the need ...................................... F-1 LIST OF TABLES 1. Annual totals for cold-water fish needs for CRSP-affected area waters, in pounds 1-5 2. Annual totals for warm-water fish needs, in pounds .......................1-8 3. Annual totals for amphibians needs, in numbers of individuals ...............1-9 4. Purpose and need underlying the proposed action ..........................1-10 5. Summary of alternatives .............................................2-6 6. Economic summary of alternatives .....................................3-4 7. Summary of environmental effects of alternatives .........................3-6 8. Summary of purpose and need analysis..................................3-12 chapter 1 PURPOSE, NEED and issues INTRODUCTION implement1. The CUPCA (Section 313(c), Fish and Wildlife Features in the Colorado The purpose of this Environmental River Storage Project) identified $22.8 Assessment (EA) is to evaluate the Revised million for hatchery rehabilitation and Fish Hatchery Production Plan (Plan) construction to meet warm- and cold-water submitted by the Hatchery Workgroup (see fish-stocking needs in CRSP-affected area Appendix A for a list of Workgroup waters. The 1997 Mitigation and membership and history of the original Conservation Plan includes a Statewide plan). The Plan consists of Program Element for fish hatchery recommendations to meet a portion of the restoration and construction. CUPCA fish-stocking needs in the Colorado River requires the Plan as a condition to complete Storage Project (CRSP)-affected area this program element. Fish hatchery waters. The Plan is presented as the restoration and construction has not been Proposed Action Alternative in the EA. It proposed or committed as a federal has not been prepared as a separate mitigation measure for CRSP impacts in document. Utah in lieu of measures to avoid or reduce or compensate for adverse impacts on fish The CRSP-affected area entails waters populations or habitats. Rather, these affected by CRSP storage unit measures are proposed to improve and facilities—Flaming Gorge and Lake increase the culture and production of native Powell—and facilities constructed under a and non-native species for stocking of CRSP-participating project, which are the recreational fisheries and for conservation Emery County Project—Joe’s Valley and recovery needs. This program will help Reservoir and Huntington North support recreational opportunities and other Reservoir—and the Central Utah Project mitigation and conservation measures (CUP)—several units—in Utah. A list of previously implemented or currently these projects and the related impacted planned. waters is included as Appendix B. BACKGROUND 1Under CUPCA, the hatchery element must The Central Utah Project Completion Act be achieved within the ecosystem restoration (CUPCA) established the Utah Reclamation requirement of §301. The Commission published its Mitigation and Conservation Commission first 5-year Mitigation and Conservation Plan in May, (Commission) to coordinate fish, wildlife 1996, with specific direction from Congress that the and recreation conservation projects as Commission’s program employ an ecosystem approach, public involvement, measures based on mitigation for Federal reclamation projects best available scientific knowledge and partnerships. in Utah, particularly, CUP’s Bonneville Project evaluation was based on five decision factors: Unit. CUPCA directed the Commission to benefits to fish, wildlife and recreation resources; develop a Mitigation and Conservation Plan fiscal responsibility; agency and public involvement and commitment; consistency with laws and that identifies projects the Commission will programs and other contributions. chapter 1 PURPOSE, NEED and issues 1-1 The Commission has determined that, based Federal fish hatchery. But, those demands on updated information, a Plan revision is can no longer be met as the fish hatcheries necessary. This revision incorporates the are deteriorating and losing fish production Mitigation and Conservation Plan capacity. (Commission 1997) priorities, hatchery feasibility study results (HRS 1996, JDK The CRSP facilities and their operation 1990a, 1990b, FishPro 1996a, 1996b, 1997), impacted many aquatic habitats for wild fish the stocking assessment report (BIO/WEST, and native species. Recovery or Inc. 1997) results, and the Utah Division of conservation of native species may require Wildlife Resources (Division) Fish Stocking reintroduction or supplementation to achieve and Transfer Procedures (Division 1997c). the desired population levels or protection of genetic diversity. The native species would 106 STAT. 4640 Public Law 102-575-- come from a designated facility (hatchery or Oct. 30, 1992 stream side hatching unit). The appropriate SEC. 313. FISH AND WILDLIFE role for hatchery production in species FEATURES IN THE COLORADO RIVER conservation and restoration is identified STORAGE PROJECT. through recovery and conservation (c) FISH HATCHERY strategies. PRODUCTION.--$22,800,000 shall be available only for the planning and implementation of Desired Condition The overall need for the improvements to existing hatchery facilities or Commission adopting and implementing the the construction and development of new fish revised Plan is to increase production of hatcheries to increase production of warmwater and coldwater fishes for the areas affected by the warm- and cold-water fishes from hatcheries Colorado River Storage Project in Utah. Such to meet Federal, State and Tribal fishery improvements and construction shall be resources’ long-term needs and management implemented in accordance with a plan objectives in the CRSP-affected area waters. identifying the long-term needs and management objectives for hatchery production prepared by These management objectives vary with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in program, water and season. Objectives for consultation with the Utah Division of Wildlife waters that are stocked consider species, Resources, and adopted by the Commission. strain, stock, health or fitness (ability to The cost of operating and maintaining such new survive and reproduce in a given or improved facilities shall be borne by the Secretary. environment). This need is captured in the 1997 Mitigation Plan’s Desired Future Condition statement: PURPOSE AND NEED Warm water and cold water fish Existing Condition The CRSP facilities production and reservoir stocking contributed to the demand for hatchery- needs in the State are met, providing reared products by creating large reservoirs a variety of sport fish opportunities to in Utah that provide millions of angling the public. Through the hatchery hours, but require stocking to sustain them. program, native fish populations are Sport fish stocking demands have been met augmented to meet conservation in the past by State fish hatcheries and a and recovery needs. chapter 1 PURPOSE, NEED and issues 1-2 In addition to meeting warm- and cold-water # Evaluate existing capability and fish production and native fish populations proposed rehabilitation and needs, projects included in the Plan should construction