Laserfiche WebLink
No Colorado squawfish larvae were found within the 15-mile reach (Tables 3 <br />and 4). Colorado squawfish larvae were collected from the downstream 18- <br />mile reach from a backwater beside WWA (RM 163.7) and also from a backwater <br />near the Fruita Bridge, 5.6 miles downstream (Table 3). In addition, one <br />squawfish larva was found in shoreline habitat in the Gunnison River, 0.4 <br />miles below the Redlands Diversion Dam. Estimated spawning dates for these <br />larvae were between 26 July and 5 August. Maximum-daily, main-channel <br />temperatures at this time were 19-21 C. Though river temperatures at <br />Palisade (15-mile reach) and WWA (lower 18-mile reach) were not identical <br />(WWA temperatures were in general slightly higher), temperatures seemingly <br />suitable for spawning of Colorado squawfish occurred in the 15-mile reach <br />during 1986 (Fig. 3). <br />No YOY Colorado squawfish were collected from the 15-mile reach in <br />September. However, one 105-mm-long (yearling-size) Colorado squawfish was <br />seined from the 15-mile reach, in a backwater at RM 174.5; this is the same <br />area where adult squawfish were most frequently found. A total of 29 YOY <br />squawfish was collected from the adjacent 18-mile reach (Table 5). These <br />were distributed among four of the seven backwaters sampled; all four were <br />downstream of the most upstream collection site for larval Colorado <br />squawfish (RM 163.7; Table 3). Catch per effort was 3.31/100 m2. Mean <br />total length of these fish was 24.7 mm (SD = 3.14). No aggregations of <br />radio-tagged squawfish that might indicate a nearby spawning site were <br />noted. However, the two razorback suckers captured in spring might have <br />been near one another and were in reproductive condition when caught. One <br />was a female captured on 3 June; she had ripe eggs that could be expressed <br />when slight external pressure was applied. The other was a male captured <br />10