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channel cross sections and modeled hydraulics of various water levels to determine how <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />habitat changes with flow. <br />Study Area <br />The area which the radio tagged fish occupied was the reach from just downstream of <br />Signal Butte (RM 103) down to about 2 miles below Maybell bridge (RM 77) thereby <br />defining the area for this study. The radio telemetry observation data was acquired within <br />this limited reach. This area was where squawfish have been located in previous years. <br />METHODS <br />The project consisted of radio tracking implanted fish to determine the location within a <br />reach of river, habitat use, and movement by those fish. Five adult Colorado squawfish, <br />five adult channel catfish, and five adult northern pike were opportunistically implanted <br />with radio transmitters in a cooperative effort by personnel from Miller Ecological <br />Consultants and the Colorado Division of Wildlife (Table 1). Four Colorado squawfish <br />and three northern pike were collected by angling, all other fish were collected by electro- <br />fishing. Radio transmitters were implanted using procedures developed by the USFWS. <br />Fish were anesthetized with MS-222 and transmitters were surgically implanted into the <br />gut cavity. Fish were observed in a recovery tank for a minimum of ten minutes. When <br />fully recovered, they were released back into the habitat from which they were captured. <br />Radio tracking was conducted on a bi-weekly basis between July 22, 1996 and October <br />26, 1996. Observations were made on five consecutive days each week that tracking was <br />conducted. An attempt was made to locate each fish at least one time during each <br />observation week. After a fish was located it was monitored for a minimum of 30 <br />minutes (Colorado squawfish were monitored for a minimum of one hour). During this <br />time a variety of habitat usage data were collected including; date, time of day, weather <br />Draft Yampa River Radio Telemetry Report Page 2 <br />Miller Ecological Consultants, Inc. December 13, 1996