U.S. Water News Online
LUBBCOCK, Texas -- It appeared that the controversy surrounding the possible designation of the Arkansas River shiner (Notropis girardi) as an endangered species had ended in November 1998 when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) published a final rule listing the Arkansas River basin population of the small minnow as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. They agreed to and began developing a recovery plan.
However, the USFWS now believes there may be some benefit to designation of critical habitat for the Arkansas River shiner. According to USFWS field supervisor Jerry Brabander, a critical habitat designation benefits species conservation primarily by "identifying important areas and by describing the features within those areas that are essential to conservation of the species, thus alerting public and private entities to the area's importance."
The USFWS plans to propose critical habitat for the shiner in Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. These areas will likely include portions of the Arkansas River in Kansas, the Cimarron River in Kansas and Oklahoma, the Beaver/North Canadian River in Oklahoma, and the Canadian/South Canadian River in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The proposed designation may also include some segments outside the geographical area currently occupied by the shiner if they are determined to be essential for conservation of the species.
Requests for formal comments will be made following publication of the proposal in the Federal Register. The USFWS plans to conduct public hearings in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas to consider economic and other impacts of specifying any particular area as critical habitat for the Arkansas River shiner.
"Once again, we plan to voice our comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding their proposed critical habitat plan for the Arkansas River shiner," said A. Wayne Wyatt, manager of the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District in Lubbock.
"When a critical habitat is designated, all the direct or indirect activities that might affect the environment of the species come under the jurisdiction of the Fish and Wildlife Service. Our concern in 1995 was that the USFWS believed pumping groundwater from the Ogallala Aquifer in excess of the natural recharge rate reduced spring flows that contribute to the flow of water in the Canadian River and therefore, impacted shiner population. This is not the case," said Wyatt.
"It is not known at this time what they plan to include in their critical habitat designation. We hope the Fish and Wildlife Service has reviewed the data that the High Plains Water District and others submitted at earlier hearings and will not propose anything that will disrupt the region's economy. Their earlier proposal to reduce groundwater pumpage to equal natural recharge would have been disastrous to the region," said Wyatt.
"Once again, we will offer testimony to the USFWS stating our position on the proposed critical habitat designation for Arkansas River shiner in the Canadian River. We will oppose any limitations on the use of our surface and groundwater resources," said Wyatt.
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