KSAT 12 News reports that WildEarth Guardians is suing the federal government to protect the silvery minnow, an endangered species in the Rio Grande.

Record-low flows of the Rio Grande have reduced the seasonal flows of the Middle Rio Grande that provide habitat for the minnow.

The Petition for Review of Agency Action against the Bureau of Reclamation and the Fish and Wildlife Service can be viewed here.

The Paper, an independent journal, writes:

The Rio Grande silvery minnow was listed as an endangered species under the delineation of the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is also listed as endangered under New Mexico state law. Once abundant throughout the Rio Grande, the silvery minnow is now confined to a short reach of the Middle Rio Grande River. The strong flows that spur spawning and shallow eddies that support the silvery minnow have all but disappeared.

Image and Credit:

Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus), via US Fish and Wildlife Service on Wikimedia Commons.