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Statistical power of the Interagency Standardized Monitoring Program <br />The power of the monitoring program is dependent on the degree of population <br />increase that is to be detected. Relatively small changes (ie a 50% increase) <br />in CPUE are not statistically detectable (Tables 7-8; Appendix B, Tables 18-22). <br />Increased sample sizes did not improve the statistical reliability of the <br />monitoring program to detect changes at that level. However, the reliability <br />improves dramatically when the goal is to detect changes of 100% and greater. <br />Changes of 200% and greater are detectable at powers exceeding 90% in all cases <br />(Tables 7-8; Appendix B, Tables 18-22). <br />The time frame during which the change occurs is important as well. The power <br />of the adult-monitoring program to detect changes in CPUE is much greater for <br />a five-year period than for a two-year period (Table 7; Appendix B, Tables 18- <br />21). Statistical power is also much greater when CPUE changes are considered <br />river wide rather than for a specific reach. These time-frame and river-wide <br />considerations have important biological meaning as well. It is unlikely that <br />a fish as slow growing and long lived as the Colorado squawfish will experience <br />a significant increase in adult population over a two-year period. A significant <br />change is more likely to occur over an extended period of 5 to 10 years or <br />longer. Also, because Colorado squawfish are migratory, population changes are <br />unlikely to affect only one reach. The change is likely to include several <br />reaches or the whole river. The current monitoring program is very reliable in <br />detecting river-wide changes in CPUE over a period exceeding five years. <br />The power of the age-0 Colorado squawfish monitoring program also improves when <br />comparisons are made river wide and over a five-year period (Table 8; Appendix <br />16