The virgin river resource management and recovery program (program) was established in 2002 as a cooperative effort among the state of utah, the washington county water conservancy district, the…

The virgin river resource management and recovery program (program) was established in 2002 as a cooperative effort among the state of utah, the washington county water conservancy district, the U.S. Fish and wildlife service, national park service and the bureau of land management. Since that time, the dixie conservation district, washington county farm bureau, the nature conservancy, shivwits band of paiutes and the U.S. Forest service have also joined the program to help achieve its goals. The overall goals of the program are to enhance, protect, conserve, and recover native species and to enhance the ability to provide adequate water supplies to meet human needs. Virgin river chub, woundfin, flannelmouth sucker, desert sucker, and virgin spinedace are endangered fish species or fish species of greatest conservation need that once thrived in the virgin river system. Habitat modification, including modified streamflow, and the introduction of non-native fish changed the river environment and put these fish at risk. Since 2002, the program and its partners have been working to recover these endangered and sensitive species while allowing continued and future water development. The southwestern willow flycatcher an endangered bird species was recently added to the program s goals as the program takes an ecosystem approach to conservation and recovery that includes tamarisk removal and reintroduction of native riparian species. Partners are committed to the conservation and recovery of the target species and support program efforts with in-kind services and funding. The funding provided through this agreement from the BLM will support program work for non-native fish management and monitoring, virgin spinedace monitoring and habitat restoration, southwestern willow flycatcher monitoring and habitat restoration, woundfin and virgin river chub stocking, streamflow and temperature monitoring, fish clearances, outreach and education, and other restoration work or assistance on BLM lands as needed.