7608

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7608
• Author: Masslich, W. J.
• Title: City of Craig, Colorado, Yampa River Diversion Fish Passage Study
• USFW Year: 1993.
• USFW - Doc Type: Final Report.
• Copyright Material: NO

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Seven species were represented, by all the fish recaptured during the study (Table 8). Overall
direction of movement by tagged fish included 39% in a downstream direction, 44% moving upstream
and 17% exhibiting no movement. Total movements of all species of recaptured fish ranged from
zero to 2.3 miles with a pooled mean of approximately 0.3 miles. Net movements ranged from 1.2
miles downstream (negative) to 2.3 miles upstream (positive) with a pooled mean of +0.09 miles for
all recaptures. Surrogate species including northern pike and flannelmouth sucker were recaptured
48 times. Movements exhibited by these two species were generally equally distributed in an up and
downstream direction including 48% (23) in a downstream direction, 42% (20) in an upstream
direction and 10% (5) exhibiting no movement. This pattern was reflected in numbers of these
species passing over the diversion structure, four downstream and four upstream.
Other native species recaptured included bluehead suckers and mountain whitefish.
' Approximately 46% of the bluehead suckers recaptured had moved upstream while 23% moved
downstream and 31% did not move. This pattern of upstream movement is consistent with
observations of three bluehead suckers moving upstream over the diversion structure while none were
observed moving downstream. Only two mountain whitefish were recaptured, one downstream and
one upstream of their respective release locations.
' Angler Recaptures. A total of eight northern pike, tagged by BIO/WEST were recaptured by
anglers during the study (Table 9). Based on descriptions of recapture locations provided by the
angler, it was determined that one of the recaptured fish moved over the structure in a downstream
direction between April 26 and June 22 at flows in the range of 1440 to 5020 cfs. Of the remaining
' fish that could be located, based on angler information, two exhibited upstream movements of 0.2 to
7.4 miles and three moved downstream from 0.1 to 5.8 miles. One angler recapture exhibited no
movement.
Table 2. Summary of sampling effort for the Ciry of Craig, Colorado, Yampa River Diversion Fish
' Passage Study conducted by BIO/WEST in 1992.
No. of Samples (total time)
' Above Below
Trip Gear Type' Diversion Diversion Totals
' 1 EL 14 {3.6 hrs) 22 (3.4 hrs) 36 (7.0 hrs)
TR 0 3 (6.6 hrs) 3 (6.6 hrs)
' 2 EL 14 (4.2 hrs) 18 (4.5 hrs) 32 (8.7 hrs)
4 EL 17 (2.5 hrs) 15 (2.9 hrs) 32 (5.4 hrs)
' TR 0 4 (6.5 hrs) 4 (6.5 hrs)
5 EL 26 (5.2 hrs) 0 26 (5.2 hrs)
' TR 0 4 (4.7 hrs) 4 (4.7 hrs)
eEL = Electrofishing Jon boat
' TR =trammel net 1" interior mesh; 12" exterior mesh, 30, 50 or 75 feet long
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