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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />A team of upper basin researchers, composed of <br />representatives from BR, FWS, CDOW, UDWR, and LFL, would <br />design and conduct research to test and refine the three flow <br />recommendations proposed by FWS. BR and FWS would provide <br />overall coordination. BR would assist in study design, <br />implementation, and review, and would assume the role of <br />annually providing RIP committees with scopes of work, funding <br />requests, and accomplishment reports. Specific project or <br />study methods would be developed by the team to test various <br />hypotheses. Hypotheses to be tested under each seasonal flow <br />recommendation are: <br /> <br />spring Flow Recommendation - releases from Flaming Gorge Dam <br />are needed for 6 weeks to coincide with peak flows of the <br />Yampa River to provide desirable flooding. <br /> <br />Bull Bypotheses to Test - <br />1. Seasonal flooding does not enhance successful <br />recruitment of young razorback sucker. <br />2. Seasonal flooding does not enhance spawning success <br />of adult razorback suckers and Colorado squawfish. <br />3. Seasonal flooding does not affect status of non- <br />native fishes. <br />4. Seasonal-flooded bottomlands do not have increased <br />food resources and do not enhance survivability of <br />young of native fishes. <br />5. Seasonal flooding does not affect the sediment <br />budget and formation of backwater habitats in the <br />nursery areas. <br /> <br />SUIDIIler and Fall Recommendation - Flow at Jensen should be <br />maintained at 1800 cfs, plus or minus 25%, to maintain <br />backwater habitat in critical nursery areas. <br /> <br />Bull Bypotheses to Test - <br />6. Flows recommended for the Jensen nursery area do <br />not affect the stability of nursery areas in the <br />lower Green River. <br />7. Fluctuations in releases from Flaming Gorge Dam do <br />not affect the quality and quantity of backwater <br />habitats in both the upper and lower Green River <br />nursery areas. <br />8. Maximum availability of backwater habitat is not <br />necessary for annual recruitment of young-of-the- <br />year of native fishes. <br />9. Recommended summer flows do not affect status of <br />non-native fishes. <br /> <br />Winter Recommendation - Flow fluctuations at the Jensen gauge <br />need to be limited to 5 em per hour to reduce adult fish <br />movement. <br />