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<br />f ~abitat . Enh~ncem~nt fC?r Col.orado. Squawfish in th.e ,
<br />tampa RIver In Conjunction with Railroad Construction
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<br />ames . 1nn1ng an 0 n W. Andrew
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<br />The impact assessment for Colowyo Coal Company's Yampa River
<br />railroad spur determined that no adverse impact to the
<br />Colorado squawfish would result from construction and
<br />adverse impact was only a remote possibility as a result of
<br />operation. Colowyo Coal Company, in consultation with
<br />ERT/Ecology Consultants, Inc. and Water and Environmental
<br />Consultants, Inc., decided to construct additional backwater
<br />habitat suitable for rearing Colorado squawfish in two
<br />locations during railroad construction as a habitat
<br />enhancement feature. This paper discusses the design
<br />cri teria and rationale tor the backwaters, proposed use,
<br />interactions with state and federal agencies and some of the
<br />problems arising from this habitat enhancement project.
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<br />:Historically, Colorado squawfish ranged
<br />~ghout the "large river" habitat in the
<br />,fado River basin including the Yampa
<br />~ to near Craig, Colorado. During this
<br />;ry, various changes in habitat have
<br />~ed both the range and numbers of
<br />j41do squawfish, in areas where it is
<br />1 found, to the point that the species
<br />~signated as endangered by the U.S. Fish
<br />;,'ildlife Service. Some of the possible
<br />'''lns for the decline of this species are
<br />I diversion and dam construction which
<br />~ modified physical habitat and tempera-
<br />~l and the introduction of exotic
<br />ies which may either compete with or
<br />'_?!l larval squaldish.
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<br />tone notable change in habitat has
<br />}ted from water withdrawals and dam
<br />~ruction. During low swruner flows,
<br />I withdrawals have significantly reduced
<br />Ii in uncontrolled streams. Where
<br />Ims are controlled, irrigation releases
<br />2g sununer low flows have mitigated the
<br />:Irawals in some stream 'reaches, but the
<br />lIldtnent of high spring flows has pre-
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<br />P~per 'presented at the Mitigation
<br />JSIUm, Fort Collins, Colorado, July 16-20,
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<br />-Aquatic Ecologist, ERr/Ecology Consultants,
<br />. Fort Collins, Colorado.
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<br />Auvial Geomorphologist, Water and Environ-
<br />Consultants, Inc., Fort Collins; Colorado.
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<br />vented much of the sediment flushing that
<br />occurred before stream controls were
<br />installed. The result on botVcontrolled
<br />and uncontrolled streams has been a reduc-
<br />tion in shallow areas with little current
<br />during the squawfish larval rearing period.
<br />While the extent of rearing habitat reduc-
<br />tion has not been quantified, it has obvi-
<br />ouslyoccurred.
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<br />When the Colowyo Coal Company began
<br />development of their mi'le betweel'. Craig and
<br />Meeker, Colorado, studies revealed that the
<br />most economical and environmentally sound
<br />method of coal transport was by rail. This
<br />required construction of a rail spur from
<br />Craig, down the Yampa River, and up Milk Creek
<br />to the mine loadout. Environmental studies
<br />revealed that only insignificant impacts would
<br />result to the Yampa River from rail spur
<br />construction and operation, but the coal
<br />company offered to construct two backwater
<br />areas on the Yampa River in conj unction with
<br />the rail spur as a habitat enhancement
<br />feature. Since the morphology of these back-
<br />waters would be controlled, experimental
<br />rearing of hatchery-produced squawfish larvae
<br />would be facilitated, and interactions with
<br />exotic species could be studied.
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<br />There are really two phases to the design
<br />of such backwater areas. The design must
<br />consider the biological requirements for the
<br />1ntended use, and the physical/economic
<br />aspects of the design must be practical. From
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<br />553
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