7728

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7728
• Author: Stone, R. C. and F. Eiserman.
• Title: Background of Flaming Gorge Reservoir Fisheries Investigations.
• USFW Year: 1979.
• USFW - Doc Type: Publication # 78-9,
• Copyright Material: YES

INTRODUCTION

In November 1962 Flaming Gorge Dam in northeastern Utah began
impounding waters of the Green River - an event that drastically changed the
aquatic environment of the immediate drainage which has been extensively
documented by state and federal agencies, At the time ofthis writing there are
no fewer than 40 publications providing information on the biology and
limnology of the drainage, socio-economic effects on the area, and methodology
and recommendations on the management of the reservoir fishery.

This paper introduces the investigational background and documentation of
eight years of fisheries management on Flaming Gorge Reservoir. The studies
have been conducted as a cooperative venture by the Utah Division of Wildlife
Resources and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department under authorization
provided by Section 8 ofthe Colorado River Storage Project Act administered by
the U,S, Fish and Wildlife Service. The collection of fisheries information was
initiated in the summer of 1963 and was to continue for a period of six years
Management objectives were to develop a sport fishery for the broadest public
use. In addition, a thorough knowledge of the limnological, hydrological and
fisheries features of the reservoir was to be accumulated for baseline data, The
study was later expanded to include the reaches of the Green River from
Flaming Gorge Dam downstream to Dinosaur National Monument and from
Flaming Gorge Reservoir upstream to and including Fontenelle Reservoir, The
study period was also eventually extended to a nine-year period.

BACKGROUND

The two states involved worked as a composite team during the entire period.
Because of the broad scope of the investigations, general responsibilities were
initially assigned as follows:

Utah
1. Chemical and physical development and character
2, Fisheries development
a) Stocking coordination
b) Survival of stocked fish
c) Fisherman use and harvest
d) Green River fisheries development below Flaming Gorge Dam
3, Plankton development and character

Wyoming
1. Biological trends other than fisheries
a) Classification and measurement of relative abundance of bottom fauna
b) Development of the aquatic vegetation
2. Fisheries development
a) Life history of game fish
b) Fish distribution and abundance within the reservoir
c) Green River fisheries development up-river to Fontenelle Reservoir

As the study progressed, a number of changes in program assignments and
schedules were made because of the availability of personnel and facilities,
turnover of personnel, fisheries management information requested by
administrators, and findings of the ongoing investigations.

Age and growth studies of rainbow trout were designated as a special joint

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