MEASURING PROGRESS TOWARD RECOVERY AND SCHEDULING RIPRAP ACTIVITIES. To achieve recovery in the Upper Basin, it will be essential to fully implement all of the actions in the RIPRAP; this will be accomplished only through cooperation by all Program participants. In general, actions will be scheduled such that recovery will be achieved in the most expeditious and cost-effective manner possible. However, decisions associated with ongoing Section 7 consultations may require some adjustment in the schedule to ensure recovery of the endangered fishes while water development continues. Recovery actions likely to result in a measurable population response, a measurable improvement in habitat for the fishes, legal protection of flows needed for recovery, or a reduction in the threat of immediate extinction have been determined by the Service to be most important in determining the extent to which the Recovery Program provides the reasonable and prudent alternatives to jeopardy for projects undergoing Section 7 consultation. These actions are identified by the caret ">" in the Action Plans. Actions that the Service believes will contribute to the RIPRAP serving as a reasonable and prudent alternative to adverse modification of critical habitat are identified by an asterisk (*). These careted and (or) asterisked actions will generally be given highest priority. The Recovery Program continually evaluates the outcome of completed RIPRAP actions to determine their effectiveness in helping to achieve recovery. Ultimately, success of recovery efforts will be measured by species response (change in population size, distribution, composition, etc.). However, it may be many years before such responses are evident. In the interim, the Recovery Program also will gage its progress towards recovery by accomplishment of the actions identified in the RIPRAP. Toward that end, Program participants assess progress and update the RIPRAP annually.
MEASURING PROGRESS TOWARD RECOVERY AND SCHEDULING RIPRAP ACTIVITIES. To achieve recovery in the Upper Basin, it is essential to fully implement all of the actions in the RIPRAP. This can be accomplished only through cooperation by all Recovery Program participants. In general, actions will be scheduled such that recovery will be achieved in the most expeditious and cost-effective manner possible. However, the schedule may require some adjustment based on sequence and impacts of water development and management actions to ensure recovery of the endangered fishes while water development continues. The Recovery Program continually evaluates the outcome of completed RIPRAP actions to determine their effectiveness in contributing to recovery. Ultimately, success of recovery actions will be measured by species response (change in population size, distribution, composition, etc.). However, it may be many years before such responses are evident. In the interim, the Recovery Program also will gage its progress towards recovery by accomplishment of the actions identified in the RIPRAP. Toward that end, Program participants assess progress and update the RIPRAP annually.
