7968

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7968
• Author: Wydoski, R. S.
• Title: Memo - Species Composition of the Fish Community Above and Below the Price-Stub Diversion on the Colorado River.
• USFW Year: 1994.
• USFW - Doc Type: \
• Copyright Material: NO

``, Igqy Wyd o5k'?
RECOVERY PR GRAM FOR
THE ENDANGERED FISHES
OF THE UPPER COLORA.BD
790'
John Hamill,
Program Director
Ralph Morgenweck,
Implementation
Committee Chairman
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - P.O. Box 25486 • Denver Federal Center - Denver, Colorado 80225 • [phone]
ES/CR/Nonnative Fish
Mail Stop 65115
RUG 3 0
Memorandum
To: Biology Committee
From: Dick Wydoski, Propagation and Nonnative Fish Coordinator
Subject: Species Composition of the Fish Community Above and Below the Price-
Stub Diversion on the Colorado River
This memorandum summarizes the species composition of the fish community above
and below the Price-Stub Diversion on the Colorado River.as requested by the
Biology Committee on August 17, 1994. The fish status in the Upper Colorado
River in Table 1 was modified from Tyus et al. (1982). The species
composition and relative abundance of fishes above the Price-Stub Irrigation
Diversion Dam was obtained from the references cited and consultation with
Chuck McAda, Colorado River Fishery Project, Grand Junction, Colorado.
The Price-Stub Diversion is a 10-foot barrier at River Mile 188.3 that
prevents migration of endangered fishes in the upper Colorado River (Burdick
and Kaeding 1990).
Some endangered fish can pass the low 2-foot Grand Valley Diversion Dam that
is about-3 miles downstream from the Price-Stub Diversion Dam. However, the
Price-Stub Diversion prevents upstream fish migration. Kidd (1982) reported
the collection of Colorado squawfish (number not provided) in a backwater at
the base of the Price-Stub Diversion Dam in 1980. In 1981, Robert Smith
collected 5-6 Colorado squawfish with electrofishing gear below the Grand
Valley Diversion Dam (RM 185.2) during the low streamflow in July (R.A.
Valdez, 1994, Personal Communication). Osmundson and Kaeding (1989) reported
the upstream movement of a radio-tagged adult Colorado squawfish to the base
of the Price-Stub Diversion in July 1986 where it remained until September
1986 when it returned downstream.
Although Rich Valdez sampled the reach between the Price-Stub Diversion Dam
and the Government Highline Dam in 1980-81, his stratum was from Palisade to
Debeque (River Miles 185-210) that included the river below and above the
Price-Stub Diversion (Valdez et al. 1982). Valdez et al. (1982) reported
three razorback suckers above the Price-Stub Diversion (one at each site: RM
205, 220.7 and 223.7). Chuck McAda summarized the field collections made by
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • U.S. Bureau of Reclamation - Western Area Power Administration Colorado • Utah - Wyort+ing
Environmental Defense Fund • National Audubon Society . Colorado Wildlife Federation Wyoming Wildlife Federation
Colorado Water Congress • Utah Water Users Association Wyoming Water Development Association