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<br />migrating Colorado squawfish along natural migration routes contributing to <br />the loss of historic habitat. Less is known about the extent and range of <br />movements of the other three species. <br />' Fish passageways have been used successfully for certain species in other <br />river systems, for example, the northern squawfish. However, it is not known <br />whether the Colorado squawfish will use passage facilities, since none has <br />1 <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br />been tested in the upper basin. <br />Successful passageways could provide a means for reestablishing squawfish in <br />parts of their former historic range. For example, installation of <br />passageways could make available 40 miles of historic habitat above the <br />Redlands diversion on the Gunnison River, 15 miles of habitat on the Colorado <br />River upstream from Palisades, or 50 miles of habitat above the Taylor Draw <br />Dam on the White River. <br />Below the recently completed Taylor Draw Dam, Colorado squawfish still <br />congregate in their natural attempt to migrate upstream. Natural migrations <br />no longer occur at other older structures. If passage facilities prove <br />effective for the squawfish, installations at Taylor Draw or other dams may be <br />warranted (see Section 4.3.4). Chances of success may be increased by <br />introducing hatchery-reared rare fishes above or below passage facilities or <br />building facilities at dams where the rare fish are staging for natural <br />migration. However, reservoirs also provide habitat for many nonnative <br />species. Interrelationships between the rare and nonnative species must be <br />closely examined (see Section 4.4) to determine the impact from fish passage <br />development. <br />No passage facility has been constructed in the Upper Colorado River Basin. <br />However, the Service has some funding available through Section 7 and has <br />conducted a feasibility study on a prototype fish passage facility at the <br />' Redlands Water and Power Company diversion dam on the Gunnison River. <br />4.2.5 Selected Course of Action <br /> a. The Service and States will perform research as identified in the Research <br /> Program (Appendix 6'.2) to determine if and how development and maintenance <br /> of habitat for the rare fish species (backwaters, jetties, grow-out ponds <br /> (see Section 4.3.2), fish passages, and spawning habitat) will contribute <br /> to the recovery of the rare Colorado River fishes. These studies will <br /> include testing the management options described in this section to <br /> determine their usefulness to recruitment and their contribution to <br />lied <br />recover <br />The followin <br />sti <br />ulations will be a <br /> . <br />y. <br />g <br />pp <br />p <br /> 1. Testing and implementation of management techniques will not be <br /> conducted in confirmed spawning and nursery areas or in river reaches <br /> which, if modified, might adversely affect use of confirmed spawning <br /> or nursery areas; and <br /> 2. The genetic integrity of wild populations must be protected when using <br /> hatchery-reared experimental animals. <br /> <br />1 <br />4-13