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<br />the other from 39.1 to 43.3 between mid August and late September. On 29 October those same two fish <br />were found at RM 21.6 and 29.7. On 22 April 1997, both pikeminnow were still in Yampa Canyon <br />suggesting that both fish may have spent the winter low flow period in the canyon. Both fish were <br />located in the vicinity ofthe spawning area during the first aerial contact on 24 July 1997, and both fish <br />moved upstream afterward. On 13 August 199=1, both fish were still in Yampa Canyon. <br /> <br />Passage <br /> <br />Results from riffle cross sections were emphasized for concerns relatedto passage because this <br />mesohabitat type is most likely to restrict movement during low flows. Selection of an average depth <br />criterion is important because a small change in average depth can result in large differences in <br />concomitant flows. The average depth for all riffles at a flow of93 cfs was 0.52 ft. The passage criterion <br />used for adult pikeminnow was a maximum depth of at least 1.0 ft in at least one point on a cross section <br />(Burdick 1996). The mean flow required for riffles to produce a maximum depth of 1.0 ft was 153 cfs. <br /> <br />The potential for low flow barriers to postspawning migrant Colorado pikeminnow in the Yampa River <br />was evaluated in 1997 by monitoring movement through two potential barriers, Cross Mountain Canyon <br />(RM 58.8) and the Maybell Diversion (RM 89.4). Six-month transmitters were surgically implanted in <br />five Colorado pikeminnow in the second week of May 1997 in the Yampa River between Government <br />Bridge (RM 98.8 and Morgan Gulch (RM 103.7). Telemetry data was unable to identify passage barriers <br />in 1997 because of extremely high base flows. Travel times indicated that individual fish only occupy the <br />spawning area for a portion of the entire spawning period. Bestgen et al. (1997) estimated the duration of <br />Colorado pikeminnow spawning in the Yampa River between 1990 and 1996 ranged from 24 and 38 days <br />(mean = 29.5). Similarly, Tyus (1990) estimated pikeminnow spawning between 1981 and 1988 ranged <br />from 31. and 39 days (mean = 35.6). The average time pikeminnow spent near the spawning area in 1997, <br />a high baseflow year, was only 15.5 days. Although is likely that individual fish do not remain in the <br />spawning area for the duration of the spawning period, what factors cause fish to leave the spawning area <br />is not known. Although evidence suggested low flows in early to mid-July may be detrimental to <br />spawning, it is unlikely the normal range of low baseflows are a factor in preventing passage of <br />postspawning migrant adults. <br /> <br />12 <br />