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PROCEEDINGS OF THE DESERT FISHES COUNCIL 1992 - VOLUME XXIV Reclamation is an active participant in similar activities on Lake Havasu where at least ten coves have been selected to be used for native fish rearing areas under the interagency fishery improvement project known as "HAVFISH. " Native fish are now an integral component of that program, and Reclamation is committed to funding portions of the project. Probably the most significant action this past year with regards to razorback suckers, bonytail chubs and other mainstem Colorado River fishes is that the Regional Offices of both Reclamation and Fish and Wildlife Service have agreed to join together and initiate a Lower Basin recovery program. This initially will be the development of an umbrella plan or program to focus resource actions towards a common goal. Reclamation was able to secure $100,000 of emergency drought relief funds to aid in recovery of Virgin River fishes. These dollars went to seven different activities related to recovery of the woundfin minnow (Plagopterus argentissimus): A project to refine culturing needs was initiated at Georgia Southern University under Steve Vives, the live stream at UNLV where Jim Deacon successfully spawned woundfin minnows was refurbished under the guidance of Fran Taylor, Director of Animal Laboratory Services at the University. A new stream gage was installed on the Virgin River below Quail Creek Reservoir. A self- contained "fish-farm" was purchased and installed along the river near Hurricane, UT to be used as a salvage station for native fishes. Rearing ponds at Dexter National Fish Hatchery were lined to control weed growth (the ponds are earmarked for Virgin River fishes). Videography techniques were used on imagery of the Virgin River to identify all possible water sources and assist in planning for further red shiner removal below St. George. Finally, Utah Division of Wildlife received funding support to develop a thorough treatment plan for future stream reclamation activities. In association with planning investigations on the lower Virgin River, Reclamation is conducting and participating in fish habitat analyses between Lake Mead and Mesquite, NV. Other activities of the Lower Colorado Region include: annual surveys of the Gila River below Coolidge Dam and the lower San Pedro River to the confluence with the Gila; actions involving the continued use of the Hoover Dam Refugium for Devil's Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis); related activities of the Eastern Mohave Desert Fishes Recovery Team; and a resurvey of the Santa Clara Slough which had desert pupfish (Cyprinodon macularius) when last surveyed. Activities of the Denver Engineering and Research Center other than those covered by the Upper Colorado Region [i.e., Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus) and bluntnose shiner (Notropis simus) activities] were limited to the various populations of lake suckers in the Klamath Lake area [largescale suckers (Catostomus macrocheilus), shortnose suckers (Chasmistes brevirostris), Lost River (Catostomus luxatus) and Klamath Lake (Catostomus rinuculus) and (Catostomus snyden) suckers. These fishes are presenting the same enigma of other longlived western fishes: no recruitment for 15+ years. Reclamation is investigating water quality effects on sucker larvae with the Fish and Wildlife Service office in Dixon, CA. Reclamation is funding a multi-year investigation by Oregon State University (COOP) on habitat use and population dynamics. The Klamath Project Office recently hired Mark Buettner, a biologist experienced with these fishes, to lead our efforts. This year has been great, and we expect next year to be even better with regards to recovery of native Colorado River fishes. RESUMEN Este reporte abarca las actividades de la Region del Bajo Colorado las del Centro de Investigacion a Ingenierfa de Denver. Las actividades de la Region del Alto Colorado, incluyendo los estudios ambientales del Canon Glen, son cubiertos por separado en reporte de agencia. Las actividades de ]a Region del Bajo Colorado enfocadas sobre el matalote jorobado (Xyrauchen texanus) este ano, principalmente con ]a crianza de peces en aguas tranquilas del Lago Mohave. En el Lago Mohave fueron colocados peces adultos en la Cueva de Yuma donde mostraron un excelente desove y produjeron larvas. Los juveniles fueron monitoreados de Febrero a Octubre, mostrando un excelente crecimiento. Una red de cerco fue instalada en la Cueva Davis, cerca de la Presa Davis, los peces depredadores fueron parcialmente removidos y se transfirieron 10,000 alevines (Talla promedio 68 mm) desde la. Granja Reproductora Nacional Dexter a las aguas tranquilas a mediados de Junio. Estos peces fueron monitoreados hasta Octubre y otra vez un excelente crecimiento fue observado. Considerable infonnacidn fue obtenida a traves de las observaciones de estos peces y sus hibitats. Informacion mis detallada es presentada en el programa por Gordon. Mueller. Relacionado a esto, 6000 charalitos aleta dura (Gila elegans) fueron transferidos de la Granja Reproductora Nacional Dexter en Octubre 5 de 1992 a aguas tranquilas en la Cueva Davis. Estos peces serin monitoreados hasta el proximo aiio junto con los matalotes jorobados. Un reconocimiento en helic6ptero sobre el Lago Mead durante Marzo identifico numerosas agregaciones de peces, algunos probablemente eran matalotes jorobados adultos. Mediante redes y descargas de electropesca los biologos de la Division de Vida Silvestre y Reclamation de Nevada capturaron 30 matalotes jorobados adultos del Lago Mead. Se colectaron gametos para anOisis de ADN mitocondrial y se enviaron a la universidad del Estado de Arizona. Los peces fueron procesados marcados (P.I.T.) a liberados. Esta es la mis grande colecta de este pez en el Lago Mead en alrededor de 20 aiios. En las pociones bajas del Rio Colorado, Reclamacidn particip6 en colectas de matalotes jorobados del sistema de canales Tribus Indias del Rfo Colorado (TIRC) cerca de Parker, Arizona. Reclamacion ester trabajando con los bidlogos 13