Laserfiche WebLink
<br />section of the hatchery consists of 14 large gravel-bottomed units that <br />are interconnected serially and range in size from 50'x30' to 75'x20'. <br />Above these are 10 medium sized units (5'x60') and 33 smaller units <br />interconnected serially in several sections. The multiplicity of units <br />lends itself well to experimentation. <br /> <br />The water supply comes from about 15 free-flowing artesian wells that <br />vary in temperature from 500 to 630F. The quality of the water is <br />excellent. The total flow varies from 1800 to 2700 gpm. The wells are <br />from 100 feet to more than 200 feet deep and apparently the deeper the <br />well, the warmer the water that is produced. By perforating certain <br />wells at different depths to combine warm and cold water, selection of <br />water temperature has been possible. <br /> <br />The FES program consists of salmonid broodstock development, disease <br />diagnosis and inspection, fish health invnestigations, water quality <br />studies, and training. In 1980-81 under an agreement between CRFP and <br />Utah DWR, some of the 01d production units were modified to bypass cold <br />water and recirculate warm water for the purpose of growing Colorado <br />squawfish and humpback chub. Young fish were shipped to Logan from <br />Willow Beach and Hotchkiss NFH's and reared in this system with little <br />difficulty. The daily average recirculated water temperature was about <br />680F in sumr.1er but varied from 620 to 840F in a 24-hour period. These <br />units lost heat at night that was gained from solar heating during the <br />day, causing the wide temperature fluctuation. The optimum growing <br />temperature for squawfish lS 770F at which their growth rate on trout <br />feed is about 0.4 mm/day (Black 1982). However at 680F their rate of <br />growth is only 0.25 mm/day. <br /> <br />If an agreement could be worked out with Utah DWR whereby they would <br />raise endangered fish for the FWS in their facilities at Logan, the <br />limiting factor would be water temperature. Warm water would have to be <br />obtained either by drilling deeper wells or by perfecting the recir- <br />culation system and covering the raceways. <br /> <br />Driving time to stocking sites would range from 8 to 10 hours over <br />mountainous roads. This could be accomplished in one day without undue <br />stress on fish and drivers. <br /> <br />Being outside the Colorado river system, fish transfers risk spreading <br />disease and non-endemic fish between watersheds. Presently, Logan FES <br />is free of any high risk fish disease organisms, so fish raised there <br />could be safely stocked in the Colorado River. On the other hand, <br />bringing in fish from the wild or other stations could infect the Logan <br />natchery. Also, any of these fish could potentially to escape into the <br />Bear River System. Captive brood fish would have to be held on the <br />station or eggs/fry would have to be brought from elsewhere. Young <br />Colorado squawfish when stocked would not be lmprinted on a home territory <br />to which they could return as adults. <br /> <br />Ouray NWR-is located in the northeast corner of Utah 25 miles southwest <br />of Vernal, and takes in about 12 r.1iles of the Green River. It is within <br />the present range of the Colorado squawfish, bony tail chub, and humpback <br />