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^ Achi-square analysis of presence /absence YOY chub in Westwater Canyon by habitat depth <br />indicated no selection -supporting the finding of opportunistic habitat use described above. <br />Habitat depth was positively correlated with peak flows and more strongly correlated with flows <br />at the time of sampling (See Table 11; pg 17). Shallow habitats were defined as those having a <br />maximum depth < 0.7m. <br />^ Chub nursery areas in Westwater Canyon were not created by the transport and deposition of <br />fine sediments. Habitats were relatively ephemeral, appeared in the same places from year to <br />year, and were created as a function of river stage and resultant inundation of shoreline features, <br />i.e. not a function of the high spring flows. Amount of embayment habitats was positively <br />correlated with summer sampled flow. Throughout the study, summer flows were high during <br />years of high spring peaks. We do not suggest creating higher flows during otherwise low flow _ <br />summer conditions - i.e., if given the choice, manage for growth of YOY chubs (see below) as <br />opposed to YOY chub habitat. However, summer flows near 6000 cfs, which increase the <br />amount of embayment habitat relative to backwaters, may benefit humpback chub by controlling <br />nonnatives. The same summer flow scenario may benefit humpback chub over roundtail chub if <br />the Recovery Program ever decides to manage for one native species over another. <br />^ YOY Colorado pikeminnow were scarce in the study reach despite the presence of backwater <br />habitats immediately upstream of Westwater Canyon. The nursery habitats were likely too close <br />to spawning areas for drifting larvae to utilize them. <br />^ YOY densities of speckled dace and bluehead sucker CPE were positively correlated with <br />Stateline peak flow (See Table 14; pg 19). <br />^ YOY densities sand shiner, fathead minnow, and red shiner CPEs were negatively correlated <br />with Stateline peak flow (See Table 14; pg 19). <br />^ Densities of fathead minnow and red shiners were low in Westwater Canyon due to lack of <br />preferred habitat. The benefits of spring flows in excess of 30,000 and 40,000 cfs identified <br />earlier would negatively impact nonnative cyprinids. <br />Recruitment <br />^ Recruitment through the third growing season was evaluated for three cohorts by comparing <br />densities of YOY (fish / mZ) and subsequent densities of Age 1+ and 2+ chubs (fish / <br />electrofishing hr). The 1994 cohort recruited best to the Age 1 year class, while the 1993 cohort <br />did the worst. A suite of environmental variables were considered to better understand this <br />observation. Although the 1994 Age 0 cohort was not particularly abundant they had grown <br />better than the other cohorts. August 1994 flows averaged 2742 cfs and main channel <br />temperature averaged 25.9°C. Steady flows of 3000 cfs as soon as possible after the spring peak, <br />maintained through the winter would likely benefit Age 0 overwinter survival. Relationships <br />between flow metrics and recruitment from Age 1+ to Age 2+ were less conclusive. The results <br />of this analysis suggest that survival was high (undetermined) for juvenile chubs larger than 100 <br />mm TL. <br />^ Electrofishing CPE decreased little throughout the summer once chubs reached 100mm TL <br />suggesting high survival rates of juvenile chubs. <br />29 <br />