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<br />sunfish (22%), common carr (9%), bluegill (7%), largemouth bass (7%) white sucker <br />(4%), red shiner (3%), back crappie (3%), and channel catfish (1%). The only <br />two native fishes collected were flannelmouth sucker and bluehead sucker (1% <br />each: Figure 3).. Prior to the pond being connected to the river, it was drained <br />by pumping and all nonnative fish were removed. All native fish were returned <br />to the Colorado River. <br /> <br />In December 1995, Bureau of Reclamation and FWS personnel removed a portion <br />of the dike at the downstream end of Gardner Pond and established a channel to <br />connect this pond with the river to provide access to riverine adult razorback <br />sucker, Colorado squawfish, and other native fishes. <br /> <br />Inventory of Large-sized Fishes <br /> <br />Composition and Abundance <br /> <br />Electrofishing, trammel nets, and trap nets mostly captured sub-adults and <br />adults of the larger-sized fish. Of the 21 fishes collected during the entire - <br />study, 15 species and three hybrid suckers were collected with these three gear <br />types (Appendix: Table A.I.). Eleven species and two hybrid sucker were <br />nonnative whereas four species and one hybrid sucker were native. Three <br />additional species, red shiner. sand shiner, and western mosquitofish, were <br />collected with seines. <br /> <br />Endangered Fishes. Nineteen adult Colorado squawfish were captured in both <br />Gardner and Hotspot ponds. In Gardner Pond, three were captured during pre- <br />runoff, seven during runoff, and two during post.runoff. In Hotspot Pond, one <br />was collected during pre-runoff, six during runoff, and none during post.runoff. <br />Eleven of these fish had been captured previously (Appendix B: Table B.1.). In <br />Gardner Pond, C~lorado squawfish comprised 0.60% of the fish collected during <br />pre-runoff, 2.49% during runoff, and 1.46% during post.runoff. In Hotspot Pond, <br />Colorado squawfish comprised 0.14% during pre-runoff and 1.87% during runoff. <br />Five of these 19 fish were implanted with 360-day LOTEK@ radiotags and <br />translocated to the Lower Gunnison River as part of another study to evaluate if <br />adult Colorado squawfish would use the fish passageway at the Redlands Diversion <br />Dam. One Colorado squawfish died in a trammel net. No other endangered fishes <br />were collected. <br /> <br />Pre-Runoff Sampling. Native fish comprised 15% of the 663 fish collected <br />from Gardner Pond whereas only 3% of the 697 fish collected from Hotspot Pond <br />were native (Figure 4). Between 9 and 19 April, the three most common fishes <br />collected from Gardner Pond were black bullhead (36.%'), and white sucker and <br />common carp (19% each). Species relative abundance was similar for Hotspot Pond: <br />black bullhead (31%), common carp (26%), and white sucker (18.%'; Table 1). <br /> <br />It was assumed that all fish were removed in December 1995 when Gardner <br />Pond was drained. Data from the April 1996 inventory indicated that nonnative <br />fi shes invaded and reco 1 oni zed Gardner Pond wi thi n the 4 months fo 11 owi ng <br />construction of the connection channel but before the April sampling. Species <br />such as black bullhead, black crappie, green sunfish, and largemouth bass <br /> <br />7 <br />