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Last modified
7/14/2009 5:02:35 PM
Creation date
5/20/2009 10:52:25 AM
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UCREFRP
UCREFRP Catalog Number
9375
Author
Kimball, J. F.
Title
Flow Effects on Humpback Chub (Gila cypha) in Westwater Canyon.
USFW Year
1999.
USFW - Doc Type
Salt Lake City.
Copyright Material
NO
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(Archer et al. 1985) in the Black Rocks area of the Colorado River; and, 2) There appears to be a <br />difference in habitat use of the YOY. Roundtail chub YOY were found in greatest concentrations in <br />backwaters above the canyon. YOY chubs in Westwater Canyon did not select for the backwaters there. <br />The relationship between observed flows and nursery habitat availability supports the supposition that <br />periods of high flow would benefit humpback over roundtail chub in Westwater Canyon. There are <br />likely differences in the specif c spawning habitats utilized by each of these native chubs, but gathering <br />that type of information (radio-telemetry) was beyond the scope of this study. <br />Project catch rates were lower than those recorded when UDWR started monitoring the canyon <br />chubs in 1988. However, sampling protocols have changed over time. Considerably more sampling <br />effort is expended in the canyon on an annual basis in recent years. <br />Length-weight relationships of both the humpback and roundtai] chubs developed in the current <br />study were compared with pre-project data (Appendix Figure 1). The numerical exponents for <br />humpback chub length weight regression equations were in excess of 3 during the years prior to the J <br />current study indicating isometric growth, similar to the relationship reported for the Grand Canyon <br />population (Valdez and Ryel 1995). During the current study, the slope of that relationship decreased <br />(exponent = 2.75) indicating a shift towards slightly smaller individuals and perhaps poorer condition. <br />Mean length of humpbacks collected between 1987 and 1989 was 283.9 mm, with the largest individuals <br />collected in 1987 (mean TL = 319.7mm), which greatly influenced the length-weight relationship. The <br />current study mean total length was 277.7 mm. A similar trend was found with the roundtail length- <br />weight relationship. <br />Sympatric Species <br />Various age classes of channel catfish were encountered in Westwater Canyon and large <br />individuals (TL > 400 mm) were collected regularly. Their numbers fluctuated throughout the study. <br />They were most abundant at the upper site indicating they maybe entering Westwater Canyon from <br />upstream. However, as discussed above, channel catfish never comprised a very sizeable portion of the <br />catch, particularly when compared with catch rates in Desolation Canyon. In Desolation, catfish <br />dominate main channel and shoreline catches with juveniles often collected at rates in excess of 200 <br />fish/hr electrofishing (Chart and Lentsch 1998). It is our feeling that competition between Gila spp. and <br />catfish at the juvenile life stages is limiting the chub population in Desolation. In Westwater Canyon, <br />adult catfish are collected in relatively low numbers, juvenile catfish are scarce. Catfish likely prey on <br />chubs in Westwater, but they are not competing for resources at the juvenile life stages. Native chubs <br />appear to thrive under those conditions. The habitats available in Westwater Canyon, particularly during <br />high flows, appear to keep the resident channel catfish population in check. This is likely key to the <br />success of the native chubs in Westwater Canyon as well as Black Rocks. The high flows recommended <br />earlier for successful reproduction are likely integral to controlling nonnatives in Westwater Canyon as <br />well. <br />PIT tagging <br />Movement <br />Archer et al. (1985) found roundtail chub to be more mobile than humpback chub in their study <br />of movements in the Black Rocks area. Humpback chub move substantially less than other Colorado <br />River fishes (Valdez and Ryel 1995) and exhibit a strong fidelity for restricted reaches of river. Nine <br />Gila spp. recaptured in Desolation Canyon displayed no net movement (Chart and Lentsch 1998). One <br />roundtail chub, one bonytail, and seven humpback chub captured by H. Tyus were recaptured at their <br />original capture locations in Desolation /Gray Canyon (Valdez and Clemmer 1982). Humpback chub in <br />the Grand Canyon exhibit somewhat greater movements primarily due to local migrations from the cold <br />mainstem Colorado River to the warmer Little Colorado river to spawn. Of 60 humpback chubs that <br />were tagged in the Colorado, spawned in the Little Colorado and were recaptured in the mainstem; 90% <br />26 <br />
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