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15-MILE REACH INVESTIGATIONS <br />Introduction <br />The Green Mountain and Reudi Round II water sale, sponsored by the U.S. <br />Bureau of Reclamation, will result in depletion of flows in the 15-mile <br />reach of the Colorado River upstream from its confluence with the Gunnison <br />River. The reach already experiences appreciable flow reduction during the <br />irrigation season (April-October). The endangered Colorado squawfish <br />(Ptychocheilus lucius) and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) inhabit this <br />segment of the river, and concern has arisen that additional flow reduction <br />may degrade their habitat. Additional downstream releases from Reudi <br />Reservoir may be necessary to offset the possible negative effects of flow <br />reduction. <br />The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has completed the second year of a <br />three-year study funded by the Bureau and designed to collect additional <br />information on the use of the 15-mile reach by these endangered fishes and <br />to determine the relative importance of the 15-mile reach to the overall <br />survival and recovery of the Colorado River population. Specifically, data <br />are being collected on the relative abundance, movement and habitat use of <br />Colorado squawfish and razorback sucker in the 15-mile reach throughout the <br />year. These data will be compared to similar data from other areas <br />inhabited by these species in the Colorado River subbasin. This progress <br />report constitutes a preliminary presentation and discussion of the data <br />collected through December 1987. Data collection as part of this study will <br />continue through October 1988, at which time a complete report describing <br />the results and conclusions of the study will be prepared. The final report <br />will be available for review in January 1989. <br />1