This project supports a public purpose by contributing critical information needed to protect the endangered fish species in the SAN juan river under the SAN juan river basin recovery implementation…

The Bureau of Reclamation awarded Ohio State University a cooperative agreement valued at $458,317.07 under the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Endangered Fish Recovery program (CFDA 15.529) on August 12, 2025, with completion scheduled for August 31, 2029. The award supports Ohio State University's role in the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program by conducting research and providing critical information to advance the recovery of two federally endangered fish species: the Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker. The research focuses on identifying and analyzing key threats to species recovery, including habitat modification, invasive species presence, and alterations to natural flow regimes, with the objective of informing water management decisions that minimize negative impacts on these endangered species.

This cooperative agreement represents a partnership mechanism within the multi-stakeholder Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Recovery Programs, which unite federal, state, tribal, and local government agencies, water and power interests, and environmental organizations in collaborative endangered species recovery efforts. The research products and information generated through this award will support the broader recovery implementation objectives across the San Juan River Basin in Colorado and contribute to the evidence base necessary for managing water resources while maintaining compliance with the Endangered Species Act.

This project supports a public purpose by contributing critical information needed to protect the endangered fish species in the SAN juan river under the SAN juan river basin recovery implementation programs. Studies of the endangered species are needed to mitigate the impact water management decisions could have on the species. The purpose of this agreement is to provide support to ohio state university (OSU) for their role in the SAN juan river basin recovery implementation program by providing information to support recovery by learning more about the threats that affect the recovery of endangered colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker such as habitat modification, invasive species, and flow regime alteration.