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INTRODUCTION <br />The Interagency Standardized Monitoring Program (ISMP) began in 1986 during the <br />coordination process that ultimately resulted in the Recovery Program for the Endangered Fishes of <br />the Upper Colorado River Basin. ISMP targeted species and reaches where considerable information <br />was already available. As originally designed, ISMP targeted young-of--year (YOY) Colorado <br />squawfish (Ptychocheilus Lucius), subadult and adult Colorado squawfish, and adult humpback chub <br />Gila cypha. However, information on other rare or introduced species was collected when they were <br />encountered. <br />ISMP was developed jointly by representatives from the states of Utah and Colorado, Fish and <br />Wildlife Service (Service), Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau), and Water Development interests <br />composing the Biological Subcommittee of the Upper Colorado River Basin Coordinating Committee. <br />Sampling areas were based on the Sensitive Areas Document (Biological Subcommittee 1984), which <br />summarized river reaches important to the endangered fishes. Designation of these important reaches <br />was based on distribution and abundance data collected by earlier investigators (e.g., Wick et al. <br />1981, 1985a, 1985b, 1986; Tyus et al. 1982, 1987; Valdez et al. 1982; Archer et al. 1985). <br />After the basic framework was developed by the Biological Subcommittee, field biologists from <br />the involved agencies developed a detailed sampling protocol. The states of Utah and Colorado were <br />given primary responsibility for sampling reaches within their borders. The Service and Bureau <br />would provide support (equipment and manpower) when necessary. Specific equipment lists, as well <br />as sampling techniques and schedules, were developed to ensure that data collected were comparable <br />among rivers and years. Because consistent data collection over the course of a monitoring program <br />is critical, the Monitoring Program Handbook (USFWS 1987) was developed to document the <br />sampling protocol in considerable detail. The handbook ensures that sampling techniques remain the <br />same even though investigators may change as the program progresses. Standard data forms, <br />encoding instructions, and a database management system were also provided to ISMP participants to <br />facilitate data computerization and analysis (McAda 1987). <br />Data collected during ISMP have been presented in a variety of reports, usually delineated by <br />regional or state boundaries or by species and life history category. An annual summary has been <br />produced most years since the program began (USFWS et.al 1987-1991), but data interpretation and <br />discussion have been limited in these summaries. McAda and Kaeding (1989a), Osmundson and <br />Kaeding (1991), Valdez and Cowdell (1992, 1993, 1994), and Valdez et al. (1995) summarized <br />various portions of the YOY Colorado squawfish data relative to variation in reproductive success or <br />over-winter survival. In Utah, Bates et al. (1993) presented YOY and subadult-adult Colorado <br />squawfish monitoring data for the lower Green and Colorado rivers through 1990, and Cranney <br />{1990) did the same for the lower White and upper Green rivers. Nesler (1992) summarized the same <br />data for the upper Colorado, upper White, and Yampa rivers in Colorado. McAda (1993) <br />summarized the 1989-1991 YOY Colorado squawfish data in relation to backwater number and <br />surface area as measured by aerial video. McAda et al. (1994a) summarized all data collected during <br />ISMP from 1986 through 1992. An annual report was prepared for data collected during 1993 <br />(McAda et al. 1994b). <br />This annual report presents YOY Colorado squawfish and subadult-adult Colorado squawfish <br />data collected in 1994. <br />