Consensus versus conservation in the upper Colorado River Basin Recovery Implementation Program

We examined consensus-based management through the lens of the Colorado Riv er Recovery Implementation Program, a consensus-based plan that attempts to develop the Colorado River's water while protecting its endangered fishes. Because this management model has been touted as a preferred substitute to government-imposed regulation, we analyzed the recovery implementation pro gram to determine its strengths and weaknesses. By reviewing secondary info rmation and interviewing members of the diverse groups involved in the prog ram, we gathered detailed information about the program's history, implemen tation, and progress. Our investigation revealed that the recovery implemen tation program has allowed development of the Colorado River's water and in corporated more voices into the decision-making process. But the program ci rcumvented federal authority over endangered species conservation, which ha s proved detrimental to the fishes. Furthermore, we learned that the consen sus-based model is vulnerable to control by special-interests and may be dr iven by bureaucratic procedural goals rather than species recovery. To amel iorate these concerns, (1) program success should be judged by species reco very, rather than political achievements, (2) the federal government should retain the power of issuing statutory sanctions in the event of continued population decline, and (3) funding should be provided by an agency with a clear species-protection agenda to reduce the disproportionate power of uti litarian interest groups, By incorporating these recommendations, conservat ion programs can better realize the benefits of a consensus-based approach without sacrificing species recovery.