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(Wydoski 1994a). Propagation facility needs fall into three major <br />categories (Wydoski 1995) that include primary refuges, backup <br />refuges, and growout ponds. <br />A. Primary Refuges. Primary refuges are intended for developing and <br />maintaining broodstocks and for production of endangered fish for <br />priority research experiments. The propagation facilities at these <br />refuges should be able to rear pedigreed family lots of fish. Two <br />primary refuges were identified for broodstock development. The <br />Ouray Endangered Fish Facility will be used for Green River stocks <br />and the Grand Junction Endangered Fish Facility (Hatchery Building <br />and Horsethief State Wildlife Area ponds) will be used for Upper <br />Colorado River stocks. <br />The Middle Green River razorback sucker broodstock is intended to <br />serve as a safeguard to maintain the genetic diversity of that <br />stock while recovery efforts are directed at increasing survival of <br />larvae from natural propagation (Williamson and Wydoski 1994). <br />This broodstock can be viewed as an "insurance policy" to prevent <br />the possible extinction of the wild stock as adults are lost <br />through natural mortality. <br />The Upper Colorado River stock of razorback suckers has declined so <br />that few adult fish are captured during monitoring and sampling <br />associated with other studies. In some years, no razorbacks are <br />captured. Therefore, broodstock development of this stock and <br />experimental reintroduction stocking will be required to re- <br />establish a population in the wild. <br />Backup Refuges. Backup refuges are intended to maintain priority <br />endangered fishes to prevent catastrophic loss, backup broodstock <br />fish, and fish for long-term research experiments. Two refuges are <br />needed as backup to the Ouray Endangered Fish Facility and the <br />Grand Junction Endangered Fish Facility. A backup refuge for Green <br />River stocks will be maintained at the Craig Municipal Facility in <br />Colorado. A site will be selected for the Upper Colorado River in <br />the near future. The most cost-effective solution for a backup <br />refuge is simply to maintain the fish in ponds with a reliable <br />water supply in a secure area. Such ponds should have a sloped <br />bottom and a fish trap at the outlet to provide easy access to the <br />fish. <br />C. Growout or Production Ponds. Excellent growth of razorback <br />suckers, bonytail, and Colorado squawfish was realized from <br />predator-free off-channel lagoons or impoundments in the lower <br />basin (Mueller et al. 1993; Mueller 1995) and in riverside ponds of <br />the upper basin (Osmundson 1986; Osmundson and Kaeding 1989). <br />Endangered fish that are propagated in natural ponds should more <br />closely exhibit wild fish behavior in feeding or predator avoidance <br />and should have better survival after being stocked into the upper <br />basin. Therefore, growout ponds will be used for rearing <br />endangered fish to be stocked into upper basin waters. The actual <br />4