Laserfiche WebLink
the three points described to characterize the microhabitat occupied by the <br />fish as well as the adjacent associated habitat parameters. <br />Habitat measurements taken at all three points were the same, except for <br />velocity. The point measurement included water velocity at 5 cm off the river <br />bottom, and at two-tenths, six-tenths, and eight-tenths of the water depth. <br />Velocity measurements at one meter on either side of the fish ('in' and 'out') <br />were recorded only at six-tenths of the depth. Velocities were measured using <br />a Marsh-McBirney current meter and a 2 or 4-m wading rod. Where the <br />measurement was taken in a countercurrent (i.e. an eddy) greater than 90 <br />degrees from the main directional flow, velocity was recorded as negative. <br />Substrate was categorized as silt, sand, gravel, cobble, boulder, or <br />bedrock by probing with the hand, foot, or wading rod, depending on water <br />depth. Features providing cover (i.e. large boulders, overhanging banks, sand <br />ridges) at each fish location were also recorded. <br />RESULTS AND DISCUSSION <br />Movement <br />No significant differences were found in movement by adult Colorado <br />squawfish or razorback suckers among the diurnal, nocturnal, and crepuscular <br />periods. Movement data were therefore pooled for the respective species. <br />Colorado Squawfish <br />Long-range movement of overwintering adult Colorado squawfish was not <br />considered extensive during this investigation. In year 1, maximum net <br />movement by a fish was 22.2 miles upstream (Figure 2). Although two other fish <br />moved 13.9 and 13.1 miles downstream, 7 of the 10 radiotagged fish were found <br />less than 3 miles from their initial tracking locations. The average net <br />movement of these 10 fish during year 1 was 5.6 miles. In year 2, one fish <br />moved 25.9 miles downstream from its initial tracking location, but the other 8 <br />radiotagged fish remained within 2 miles of their initial respective locations. <br />The average net movement of these 9 fish was 3.6 miles. <br />Total long-range movement by these fish was not very different from net <br />movement. In year 1, maximum total movement by a fish was 22.8 miles, and <br />average total movement by all 10 fish was 6.0 miles. In year 2, maximum total <br />movement was 25.9 miles, and average was 5.3 miles. The similarity between <br />average total and net movement for the two winters (6.0 and 5.6 miles in year <br />1; 5.3 and 3.6 miles in year 2) indicates little random movement by the fish in <br />the wintertime, outside of'their immediate habitat. We conclude from this <br />analysis that the majority of adult Colorado squawfish in the Green River <br />probably overwinter within a 2 to 3-mile reach of river. <br />Local movement by Colorado squawfish was generally restricted to a <br />specific habitat usually with little net movement. Under nonfluctuating, ice- <br />free flows, 4 overwintering adult Colorado squawfish in year 1 moved an average <br />of 15.23 rr1h, while 9 fish in year 2 moved 23.03 m/h. This movement was <br />usually between favorite spots, which the fish occupied for extended periods of <br />time. This amount of movement is considered normal, although we hypothesize <br />34