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. DilJ579 reported that 10% of the ponds contained fish. These responses may have represented the percentage of ponds that were stocked wi th sportfi sh speci es since all floodplain ponds sampled by the Colorado Division of Wildlife contained fish. Mapping the floodplain revealed little difference (only a few inches in elevation) between the 50- and 100-year floodplains (Colorado Water Conservation Board 1996a,b). Generally, the boundaries of the 50- and 100- year floodplains overlap. Of 246 ponds between Palisade and Lorna, Colorado, 55 were above the 100-year floodplain, none were located between the 50~100 Table 1. Distribution of public and private ponds in the floodplain of the Upper Colorado and Gunnison rivers. Modified from Mitchell (1995). River Total 0-0;5 >0.5-1 >1-5 >5-25 >25 No. of acres acres acres acres acres Ponds Colorado 247 III 32 67 33 4 . Gunnison 61 19 16 19 6 1 Total Ponds 308 130 48 86 39 5 floodplain, 55 were between the 10-50 year floodplain, and 136 were below the 10-year floodplain (Maddux 1996). For the Gunnison River between Delta and the confluence with the Colorado River for which floodplain information existed (17 ponds), none were above the 100-year floodplain, 9 were located between the 50-100 floodplains, 6 were between the 10-50 year. floodplain, and 2 were below the 10-year floodplain (Maddux 1996). Mitchell (1995) reported that 20% of 308 ponds connect with the rivers each year and 40% connect with the rivers at least 1 in 10 years. Information on the flood event when ponds in the fl oodp 1 a in connect with the Upper Colorado and Gunnison rivers will be summarized in a Colorado Division of Wildlife report that is due in October, 1997 (Po Martinez, 1997, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Personal Communication). C. Fish and Wildlife Resources. Conspicuous and dominant wildlife species in floodplain areas of the Colorado and Gunnison rivers include the Canada goose (Branta canadens is), great blue heron (Ardea co 1 chi cus), various species of dabbling and diving ducks, various shorebirds, muskrats {Ondatra zibethicus), and northern leopard frog (Rana DiDiens). Various passerine birds migrate through or nest in the project area. The species of birds that inhabit the riparian zone in the floodplains of both rivers are too numerous to list individually. Refer to the checklist of bird species for Mesa County in Appendix A. Similar species would also occupy the riparian zone in Delta and Garfield Counties. Thirty or more birds that feed on fish use floodplain ponds for feeding (Appendix B). These birds include aquatic diving birds {e.g., grebes and 10