9447

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9447
• Author: Burdick, B. D.
• Title: Evaluation of Stocking Sub-Adult Colorado Pikeminnow Via Translocation in the Upper Colorado River Between Palisade and Rifle, Colorado.
• USFW Year: 2003.
• USFW - Doc Type: 105,
• Copyright Material: NO

3. Correlate or associate spatial and temporal seasonal habitat use ofradio-tagged fish
with water temperature upstream of Government Highline Diversion Dam.
4. Record and document any Colorado pdceminnow congregations at the time of
spawning, particularly in stream reaches upstream of Government Highline Diversion
Dam
5. Determine if radio-tagged Colorado pdceminnow move into the Government Highline
Canal.
Study Area
Wild Colorado pikeminnow were captured from the 15- and 18-mile reaches of the Upper
Colorado River in both 2000 and 2001. The study azea monitored forradio-tagged Colorado
pikeminnow included the Upper Colorado River from Rifle (RM 240.7} downstream to the boat
landing at Westwater, Utah (RM 128), and the 2.3 miles of lower Gunnison River between the
Redlands Diversion Dam and the Colorado/Gunnison River confluence (RM 3.0-0.7) (Figure 1).
The physical characteristics of individual river reaches of the Upper Colorado River from Rifle to
Westwater, Utah, were previously described for the Upper Colorado River from Rifle to
Westwater by Valdez et al. (1982) and Pitlick and Cress (2000).
The Government Highline Canal from the diversion dam to the automated trash rake (37.4
miles) was also monitored for radio-tagged fish that had been entrained into the canal system
The Orchard Mesa Irrigation District (OMID) Power Canal east of Palisade was also monitored
for radio-tagged Colorado pdceminnow that had moved into the Government Highline Canal and
subsequently into the OMID Power Canal (Figure 2).
METHQDS
Fish Collections/Handhng/Stocking
Wild sub-adult and adult Colorado pdceminnow were collected for radio-tag implantation
with multi-filament trammel nets (inner baz mesh: 3.8 cm; outer baz mesh: 30.5 cm) and
electrofishing during the spring of 2000 and 2001. Electrofishing was conducted from a 5-m
long, 1.9-m wide aluminum jon boat that was powered by a 30-horsepower outboard motor. The
electrofishing boat was equipped with a Honda® 5-kilowatt A.C. generator that powered a
Coffelt® model VVP-15 pulsator. The electrofishing boat used two stainless steel, spherical
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