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_3- <br />and the Colorado border became a cool, clear river ideally suited to <br />trout. Trends in the river fishery, however, paralleled the reservoir <br />fishery, in that initial high catch rates declinedsteadily. The <br />decline of catch rates stopped in 1970 when plants of catchable size <br />trout were increased substantially. Since then, catch rates have <br />fluctuated near 0.5 fish per fisherman-hour. <br />Decreasing water temperatures, a result of ever deeper releases <br />from the reservoir as it filled, appeared to cause the decline in the <br />fishery. Tailrace temperatures now remain in the low 40's all year, <br />resulting in extremely slow growth and in the death or emigration of <br />stocked fingerling trout. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is currently <br />modifying the penstock intakes on the face of Flaming Gorge Dam and, <br />beginning in 1978, river temperatures will be raised to a more ideal <br />level for trout. <br />The ongoing creel survey and stocking programs will continue on <br />the Green River. Past surveys have documented the problems associated <br />with low water temperatures and will be utilized to evaluate the success <br />of the new release system. Stocking will remain necessary to overcome <br />the lack of natural reproduction. Some changes in stocking will be <br />needed as the temperature pattern changes. Marking of the stocked trout <br />will continue as long as scales from fish in the river fail to show clear <br />annuli.