On March 23, the New Mexico Ecological Services Field Office (NMESFO) presented a summary of 2005 activities to the Rio Grande Compact Commissioners at their annual meeting in El Paso, Texas.  The presentation followed the activities as described in an annual report submitted to the Commissioners.  Other agencies presenting information included the states of Colorado, New Mexico and Texas repesentatives to the Compact Commisson; International Boundary and Water Commission; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Bureau of Reclamation; Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Topics that were summarized included - status of the southwestern willow flycatcher (endangered) and flycatcher critical habitats; summaries of the Rio Grande silvery minnow (endangered) - population status, recovery plan, reintroduction into the Rio Grande at Big Bend, 2003 biological opinion concerning the Rio Grande and the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation, salvage operations, augmentation to the Rio Grande, propagation, temporary channel into Elephant Butte Reservoir; Middle Rio Grande Initiative; Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program; Middle Rio Grande water quality study with the Army Corps of Engineers.