In the 2012 President's Budget Request, the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) is terminated. As a result, all resources, databases, tools, and applications within this web site will be removed on January 15, 2012. For more information, please refer to the NBII Program Termination page.
The goal of the GAP Analysis Program is to keep common species common by identifying those species and plant communities that are not adequately represented in existing conservation lands. Common species are those not currently threatened with extinction. By identifying their habitats, GAP Analysis gives land managers and policy makers the information they need to make better-informed decisions when identifying priority areas for conservation.
The goal of this Aquatic GAP analysis is to identify areas with native aquatic fauna diversity, and help in the development of future conservation strategies. Information being collected include species distributions, hydrologic characteristics of the basin, and physical properties of the land. Products of this effort can be used by managers, planners, scientists, and policy makers to designate areas for conservation or to focus future research objectives.
The Lower Colorado River plays a major role in shaping the abiotic, biotic, and cultural landscape of southwest North America. The Lower Colorado River begins at Lees Ferry in northern Arizona and flows southwest through the Grand Canyon, eventually emptying into the Sea of Cortez in Mexico. Approximately 30 million people rely on the Colorado River as a water source. To accommodate demands for water, twenty dams were established throughout the Lower Colorado River basin. This increase in water diversion, coupled with a continual rise in non-native species abundance, have resulted in the decline of many native fish species.
Lower Colorado River Basin
Lower Colorado River Basin [Copyright: C. Campbell]
Basin Facts:
The Colorado River Compact (1922) allocates Colorado River water.
The Lower Colorado has 4 main tributaries: Little Colorado, Virgin, Bill Williams, and Gila.
