Upper Colorado Recovery Program
Recovering Endangered Fish in the Upper Colorado River
Northern Water is a committed partner in the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program, a collaborative effort launched in 1988 to restore populations of four endangered fish species in the Upper Colorado River Basin. The program brings together local, state and federal agencies, water and power stakeholders, and environmental organizations to support both species recovery and Endangered Species Act (ESA) compliance for water projects throughout the region.
The program focuses on recovering four native fish species:
- Humpback chub
- Bonytail
- Colorado pikeminnow
- Razorback sucker
Northern Water and other partners contribute to recovery efforts through a variety of management actions aimed at improving habitat and supporting fish populations, including:
- Enhancing peak river flows during spring runoff by releasing stored water and bypassing inflows without impacting water project yields
- Supplementing flows during late summer to maintain suitable aquatic conditions
- Stocking native fish and managing non-native species that compete or prey on endangered fish
- Constructing fish passages and screens at diversion structures to support migration and reduce entrapment
- Raising endangered fish in hatcheries for reintroduction into the wild
- Conducting research to better understand species needs and recovery strategies
- Improving aquatic habitat throughout the basin
As of Dec. 31, 2019, the Recovery Program has provided ESA compliance for 2,181 water projects across Colorado, Wyoming and Utah—representing approximately 2.86 million acre-feet of annual water depletions. In Colorado alone, 1,250 projects totaling 2.1 million acre-feet per year have benefited from streamlined ESA compliance. Notably, no lawsuits have been filed against ESA compliance provided through the program, underscoring its effectiveness and collaborative success.
Upper Colorado River Recovery Program Map
Northern Water’s Commitment to the Upper Colorado River
To support the program, Northern Water partnered with other water users to provide 5,412 acre-feet of water in Lake Granby to be released into the Colorado River. The water is released pursuant to an agreement between Northern Water and the City of Grand Junction and in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This agreement allows 5,412 acre-feet of water stored in Lake Granby to be shepherded to a critical 15 mile-reach of the Colorado River in the Grand Valley of western Colorado to assist in flow enhancements to assist in the recovery of the endangered fish. The water released from Lake Granby often has additional benefits in Grand County for enhanced stream flows below Lake Granby in late summer or early fall. Northern Water is committed to working with the Fish and Wildlife Service, local interests and other water users to maximize the benefit of the releases down the Colorado River to and through the 15-mile reach by coordinating their amount and timing.