7030 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

captured in the Green River near the White River confluence (Vanicek 1967, Holden and Stainaker 1975 a, McAda 1977). In 1974-75, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) funded a fisheries inventory in the Utah portion of the White River. About 1500 Fish were examined, but, no rare fish were found (Crosby, 1975). Although the White River is not proposed as critical habitat for either the Colorado squawfish or the humpback chub, they may at times utilize the river. The river has been classified "Value Class I: Highest-valued fishery resource" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) based on the occurrence of endangered species documented above (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1978). On the other hand, the river is classified as class 4 by the State of Utah in its Utah Fishing Waters and Classification System, which is based on a stream's recreational fishing value. Because of the lack of definitive infor- mation on the endemic fish in the White River, their status in the river and the importance of the White River to the fishes of the Green River Basin is generally unknown. It was the purpose of this study to determine the abundance and distribution of endemic fish in the White River in Utah during spring runoff, when larval fish might be present. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors wish to express their appreciation to Curtis A. Mueller who provided technical assistance in the lab and field work throughout the entire study. Funding was provided by the BLM through the USFWS under contract number USDI/F&WS 98210-1873, BLM agreement 14-16-0006-78-0925. MATERIALS AND METHODS A survey of the White River in.Utah has conducted as a joint effort by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Vernal Fisheries Assistance Office and the Utah Cooperative. Fishery Research Unit. Sampling Methods The lower 24 mi (39 km) of the river on the Uintah and 0uray Indian Reservation was surveyed on July 8-11, just after the river began to receed from the peak of spring runoff, and again on September 26-28. Sampling was conducted using an electrofishing boat equipped with a 3-phase high cycle, 240 v, AC generator. The upper 47 mi (76 km) of the river on BLM and private land was surveyed on July 21-25, July 30-August 2, August 21-24, and September 11-14. Various