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<br />, <br /> <br />Migration to spawning areas roughly coincides with the decrease of spring runoff and an increase in water <br />temperatures. Tyus (1990) reported migration beginning approximately 28 days (d) after peak spring <br />flows when mean water temperatures were approximately 140C. Wick et al. (1983) observed migration in <br />radio-tagged pikeminnow after temperatures rose to 160C. Tyus (1990) noted the midpoint of migration <br />coincided with the summer solstice and suggested photoperiod may be important in initiating migration. <br />Tyus (1990) reported spawning migrations occurring earlier in low water years and later in high water <br />years. Wick et al. (1983) suggested other environmental factors besides flow may be important in <br />initiating migrations. Spawning migrations may be an important adaptation to a highly variable <br />environment (Smith 1981; Tyus 1986). Migration to suitable spawning habitat may have some <br />advantages in widely fluctuating environmental conditions (Tyus 1986). <br /> <br />Although adult Colorado pikeminnow may migrate long distances, movement within their home range is <br />relatively limited. In the Yampa River, Wick and Hawkins (1989) found that pikeminnow were often active <br />within a particular habitat but rarely moved outside the reach (average of 0.3 miles) selected for <br />overwintering. Valdez and Masslich (1991) also found that Colorado pikeminnow generally overwinter in <br />localized Green River regions (3-5 km or 1.9-3.1 mi long). <br /> <br />Tyus and McAda (1984) reported that adult Colorado pikeminnow predominately utilized shoreline habitats <br />and were mostly associated with sandy substrate. They also used eddy, run, backwater, and pool habitats <br />and silt, boulder, rubble, and gravel substrates. Habitat and substrate use varied between river systems and <br />time of year. Fish occupied significantly different water depths and velocities between rivers. It is not <br />known whether Colorado pikeminnow select different conditions between river systems, or simply tolerate <br />the wide range of conditions existing between the Green River mainstream and its two upstream tributaries. <br />In the' 15 mile reach' near Grand Junction, Colorado, Colorado pikeminnow used run habitats most during <br />the summer (Osmundson and Kaeding 1989, Osmundson et al. 1995). They noted that Colorado <br />pikem innow seek deep water when water clarity is high. Tyus and Karp (1989) reported that adult Colorado <br />pikeminnow occupied a variety of habitats in mid-to-late summer, but were most common in eddies, pools, <br />runs, and shoreline backwaters. In the Yampa River, Wick et al. (1983) noted a high use of runs during the <br />summer. <br /> <br />Wick et al. (1983) reported high use of pool habitat during October and November on the YampaRiver. <br />During the winter, Wick and Hawkins (1989) and Valdez and Masslich (1991) observed Colorado <br />pikeminnow using embayments, backwaters, and runs in the Yampa and Green rivers. Valdez and Masslich <br /> <br />30 <br />