Subsequent to the productive meeting with the Bureau of Land Management, Field Supervisor Spangle, Assistant Field Supervisor Barrett, and staff met with Graham County Board of Supervisor Chair John, Board Member Herrington, and County Manager Cooper regarding their concerns with the Bureau of Reclamation and Salt River Project's plans to acquire and manage southwestern willow flycatcher habitat along the Gila River in the Safford Valley. We discussed the presence of flycatchers in the to-be acquired area and the region in general, the continuation of local land use practices in the presence of flycatchers, and the relationship between those issues and the proposal to replace the Eighth Avenue Bridge across the Gila River in Safford. The Service reaffirmed its commitment to work with the local interests at the earliest phases of the bridge replacement planning and design process. Service staff then visited the bridge site to examine the extent of flycatcher habitat in light of recent, significant discharges in the Gila River.