Designation of Critical Habitat for the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Final Environmental Impact Statement U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 2 February 2003 Table of Contents Page Abstract ................................................................... i Acronyms and Abbreviations ................................................. iii Summary ............................................................... S-1 Chapter 1. Purpose and Need for Action ..................................... 1-1 Introduction ........................................................ 1-1 Purpose of the Action ................................................ 1-1 Need for the Action .................................................. 1-3 Background ........................................................ 1-4 Rio Grande Silvery Minnow ..................................... 1-4 Decision to List the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow as Endangered .......... 1-6 Original Designation of Critical Habitat ............................. 1-7 Present Proceeding to Prepare an EIS and Redesignate Critical Habitat ........... 1-8 Overview of the Scoping Process .................................. 1-8 Issues Raised During Scoping .................................... 1-9 General Considerations .................................... 1-9 Silvery Minnow ........................................ 1-10 Alternatives ........................................... 1-11 Impacts ............................................... 1-12 Overview of the Comment Period for the DEIS ............................ 1-14 Permits Required for Implementation ................................... 1-15 Related Environmental Planning ....................................... 1-15 Chapter 2. Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action ......................... 2-1 Development of Alternatives ........................................... 2-1 Consideration of Management Plans ..................................... 2-5 Alternative A – No Action Alternative ................................... 2-10 Description of the Alternative ................................... 2-10 Actions Associated with the Alternative ............................ 2-10 Alternative B – The Middle Rio Grande from Cochiti Dam to Elephant Butte Dam, And the Lower Jemez River .............................. 2-10 Description of the Alternative ................................... 2-10 Actions Associated with the Alternative ............................ 2-13 Sub-Alternative B-2 - Exclusion of Four Pueblo Lands in the Middle Rio Grande (Preferred Alternative) ................................... 2-13 Description of the sub-alternative ................................. 2-13 Actions Associated with the sub-alternative ......................... 2-16 Alternative C – Exclusion of the Cochiti Reach ............................ 2-17 Description of the Alternative ................................... 2-17 v Actions Associated with the Alternative ............................ 2-19 Alternative D – Exclusion of the San Acacia Reach ......................... 2-19 Description of the Alternative ................................... 2-19 Actions Associated with the Alternative ............................ 2-21 Alternative E – Designation of Selected Reaches of the Middle Rio Grande, the Lower Rio Grande, and the Pecos River ......................... 2-21 Description of the Alternative ................................... 2-21 Actions Associated with the Alternative ............................ 2-22 Alternatives Considered But Not Selected for Detailed Analysis ............... 2-24 Entire Historical Range ........................................ 2-24 Specific Reaches ............................................. 2-24 Comparison of the Alternatives Studied in this DEIS ........................ 2-28 Chapter 3. Affected Environment ........................................... 3-1 Introduction ....................................................... 3-1 Middle Rio Grande .................................................. 3-1 Geography ................................................... 3-1 Climate ................................................ 3-1 Natural topography ....................................... 3-2 Political boundaries ...................................... 3-3 River reaches ........................................... 3-3 Water and Hydrology ........................................... 3-3 Irrigation history of the Middle Rio Grande .................... 3-4 River management and operations ........................... 3-5 Treaty with Mexico; Rio Grande Project ...................... 3-9 Surface flows and channel characteristics ..................... 3-10 Groundwater ........................................... 3-14 Water quality .......................................... 3-15 Water Rights and Use .......................................... 3-19 Existing water rights framework ............................ 3-20 Water supply and consumptive use .......................... 3-24 Regional water resources planning ......................... 3-26 Vegetation .................................................. 3-27 Fish and Wildlife ............................................. 3-31 Rio Grande silvery minnow ............................... 3-31 Fish communities of the Middle Rio Grande ................... 3-32 Federally-listed (threatened and endangered) species ............ 3-35 State-listed species and other species of concern ................ 3-36 Other wildlife .......................................... 3-37 Land Use Plans and Policies ..................................... 3-39 Land Ownership and Use ....................................... 3-40 vi Social and Economic Conditions ................................. 3-42 Sandoval County ....................................... 3-43 Bernalillo County ....................................... 3-44 Valencia County ........................................ 3-45 Socorro County ........................................ 3-46 Indian Trust Resources ......................................... 3-50 Environmental Justice ......................................... 3-51 Social and Cultural Values ...................................... 3-51 Cultural Resources ............................................ 3-54 Recreation .................................................. 3-56 Big Bend National Park and Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River ............... 3-58 Geography .................................................. 3-60 Climate ............................................... 3-60 Natural topography ...................................... 3-60 Political boundaries ..................................... 3-61 Water and Hydrology .......................................... 3-62 River management and operations .......................... 3-63 Surface flows and groundwater ............................. 3-63 Water quality .......................................... 3-65 Water rights and use ..................................... 3-66 Vegetation .................................................. 3-67 Fish and Wildlife ............................................. 3-68 Rio Grande silvery minnow ............................... 3-68 Fish communities of the lower Rio Grande .................... 3-68 Federally-listed (threatened and endangered) species ............ 3-68 State-listed species and other species of concern ............... 3-69 Other wildlife .......................................... 3-69 Land Use Plans and Policies ..................................... 3-70 Federal ............................................... 3-70 State and county ........................................ 3-70 Land Ownership and Use ....................................... 3-72 Social and Economic Conditions ................................. 3-72 Indian Trust Resources ......................................... 3-73 Environmental Justice ......................................... 3-73 Social and Cultural Values ...................................... 3-74 Cultural Resources ............................................ 3-74 Recreation .................................................. 3-74 Pecos River Between Sumner Dam and Brantley Reservoir ................... 3-75 Geography .................................................. 3-75 Climate ............................................... 3-75 Natural topography ...................................... 3-76 Political boundaries ..................................... 3-76 Water and Hydrology .......................................... 3-76 vii Surface flows and channel characteristics ..................... 3-76 Groundwater ........................................... 3-77 River management and operations .......................... 3-78 Water quality .......................................... 3-78 Water Rights and Management ................................... 3-79 Fort Sumner and Carlsbad Irrigation Districts .................. 3-79 Pecos River Compact .................................... 3-80 Water management for Pecos bluntnose shiner ................. 3-81 Regional water resources planning .......................... 3-82 Vegetation .................................................. 3-83 Fish and Wildlife ............................................. 3-83 Rio Grande silvery minnow ............................... 3-83 Fish communities of the middle Pecos ....................... 3-84 Federally-listed (threatened and endangered) species ............ 3-84 State-listed species and other species of concern ................ 3-85 Other wildlife .........................................