Impacts to special status fish species are generally the same as those for fish, although the beneficial impacts to these species would tend to be greater because of additional protective management for special status species under all alternatives. The principle impacts to fish result from management that increases surface disturbance, resulting in sedimentation and other adverse impacts to water quality and quantity in waterways containing special status species. Increased sediment in fish habitat (streams, rivers, and reservoirs) decreases the potential for fish to naturally reproduce, fills in pools, leads to channel degradation, decreases light penetration and productivity, alters fish community composition, and increases stream temperature. Alternative C places the fewest restrictions on surface-disturbing activities and has the greatest potential to contribute sediment to surface waters in the Bighorn, Shoshone and Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone rivers, resulting in the greatest potential adverse impact on water quality in Yellowstone cutthroat trout and other special status species fish habitat. Alternative C is projected to result in the highest number of new federal wells (Appendix T), which may result in the greatest water depletion and, therefore, the greatest adverse impact to water quantity in these rivers followed by alternatives A, D, and B. Alternative D is projected to result in greater surface disturbance than Alternative A, but contains more stringent reclamation requirements that may limit erosion to a greater degree and, therefore, mitigate adverse impacts to fish habitat. Alternative B would result in the greatest beneficial impact to special status fish species habitat from more definitive proactive management actions and more stringent reclamation requirements relative to the other alternatives. Both alternatives B and D would provide long-term beneficial impacts by pursuing restoration of Yellowstone cutthroat trout to its native waters in the Planning Area.