News Release Archive

NOAA's Fisheries Service Issues to Reclamation Preliminary Draft Biological Opinion on Listed Salmonids/Green Sturgeon

Media Contact: , , 01/15/2009 23:17

For Release: January 15, 2009

MP-09-005                          SWR 02/09      

Media Contacts:
Reclamation	Lynnette Wirth	916-978-5100	lwirth@mp.usbr.gov
NOAA's Fisheries Service	Jim Milbury	562-980-4006	Jim.Milbury@noaa.gov

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NOAA's Fisheries Service delivered its preliminary draft Biological Opinion (BO) to the Bureau of Reclamation on Thursday, December 11, 2008, on the effects of the continued operation of the Federal Central Valley Project (CVP) and the California State Water Project (SWP) on the various runs of Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, and green sturgeon, and their designated critical habitat.

Reclamation initiated the formal phase of consultation in May 2008 and transmitted a revised Biological Assessment (BA) in October 2008.  Reclamation and NOAA's Fisheries Service then cooperated throughout the development of the BO and coordinated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Departments of Water Resources and Fish and Game.

NOAA's Fisheries Service has determined that the continued operation of the CVP and SWP as described in the BA is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of some salmonids and green sturgeon and adversely modify their critical habitat.

Reclamation is currently reviewing the preliminary draft BO to determine if it can be implemented in a manner that is consistent with the intended purpose of the action, is within Reclamation's legal authority and jurisdiction, and is economically and technologically feasible.

The BO is available at http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/Default.htm under "Items of Interest."  For questions or comments, please contact Mr. Jim Milbury, NOAA's Fisheries Service, at 562-980-4006 or Jim.Milbury@noaa.gov.

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Link to the documents