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Alligator no match for squawfish of yesteryear By Connie Young Public Information Specialist Colorado Division of Wildlife GRAND JUNCTION, Colo,- TIle 4 II2-foot alligator captured this summer on the Colorado River near Fruita, Colo" would not have posed much of a threat to Colorado squaw- fish had the reptile escaped 90 years ago, Back then, squawfish reportedly grew up to 6 feet long and were abun- dant in the Colorado River system from Wyoming to the Gulf of California, Now endangered, today's Celorado squawfish occasionally still reach lengths of 3 feet. They feed mainly on other fish, but the "monster" squaw- fish of the past reponedly were caught by anglers using mice, birds and even rabbits as bait. An article in Colorado Outdoors magazine, published by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, gave the follow- ing 1950s account of an old-time "cowboy, trapper and hunter" who See Predatar, Page 4 ~~i~~;~qif~~F~~ini HOW BIG IS BIG? Two bays pase beside a large Calorada squaw/ish of yesteryear. The fish was caught In the Green River near Jensen, Utah, araund 1937. Future studies to evaluate proposed changes Garge, from Page 1 we support protection of critical flows for the fish," said Bob Williams, of the Bureau of Reclamation in Salt Lake City. "But we probably will have discussions on the specific require- ments for operations, especially fer winter and spring," Western Area Power Administration, the federal agency responsible for selling and distributing electrical power produced at federal sites, remains concerned about some of the data on the fishes' habitat needs, according to Dave Saba, envi- ronmental and public affairs manager with the agency, Western wanlS to see more studies on winter and spring flow needs, competition between native and non-native fish and prcda- 3 tion by non-native fish, he said, Western also is concerned that an environmental impact statement may be required before the dam's opera- tions are changed, According to the National Environmental Policy Act, federal agencies are required to assess their actions for potential environmen- tal impact. "But Western is in the process of completing an environmental impact statement on the way it sells power and may be able to review the impact of the biological opinion at the same time," Sabo said, The Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Western Area Power Administration and state agencies plan another five years of studies 10 evalu- ate the operational changes identified in the opinion,