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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />bass. Although relatively few smallmouth bass were collected, CPUE of smallmouth bass <br />in 1997 was significantly higher than1998 (Table 4). Also, black crappie (Pomoxis <br />nigromaculatus), bluegill sunfish (Lepomis machrochirus), and channel catfish (Ictalurus <br />punctatus) were encountered in low densities in 1997 but were not encountered in 1998. <br />Overall, this information indicates that factors associated with the flow regime of 1998 inhibited <br />nonnative fish populations in the lower Duchesne River. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Conclusions <br />1. Early life-stages of Colorado pikeminnow and likely razorback sucker use nursery habitats <br />within 3 miles of the confluence with the Green River. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />2. The lower Duchesne River contains limited nursery habitat, yet likely plays and important <br />role in maintaining resident populations of blue head sucker, flannelmouth sucker, roundtail chub <br />and speckled dace. Highest densities of native fish are found in the Myton and Uinta reaches. <br /> <br />3. Peak flows were positively associated with CPUE of post-larval bluehead sucker and speckled <br />dace among all three study reaches of the lower Duchesne River: 1997 - 1999. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />4. Relative abundance of blue head sucker, flannelmouth sucker, and speckled dace is strongly <br />and positively associated with peak flows in the lower Duchesne River. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />5. Significant correlations of total discharge, peak flow, and mean daily discharge with CPUE of <br />post-larval red shiner, fathead minnow, smallmouth bass and green sunfish are negatively <br />associated among years in the lower Duchesne River. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Recommendations <br />1. Provide sufficient year-round flows to maintain habitat and the native fish community. <br />2. Continue to monitor the lower Duchesne River for evidence of spawning by razorback sucker. <br />3. Investigate the affect of extremely low base flow conditions on the fish community ofthe <br />lower Duchesne River. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />11 <br /> <br />. <br />