<br />2,800 cubic meters per second (cms) occurred in Cataract Canyon in 1983
<br />and 5,600 cms in 1984. These 2 record water years were followed by 2
<br />nonnal years (1985 and 1986), but peak and base flows remained high
<br />because of high soil moisture content. Flows in Cataract Canyon in 1985
<br />peaked in May at about 1,750 cms, while base flows generally remained
<br />above 280 cms. In 1986, flows peaked in June at about 1,980 cms, and base
<br />flows also remained around 280 cms. Peak flows in May 1987 reached
<br />1,130 cms; the peak in 1988 was 790 cms. Base flows approximated 140 cms
<br />during these dry years. During the higher water years, water temperatures did
<br />not reach 20. C until early June in 1985 and mid-June in 1986. In 1987 and
<br />1988, this temperature was recorded by mid-May.
<br />
<br />head length divided by caudal peduncle depth (Minckley 1973),. Chubs
<br />longer than 175 mm TL were individually photographed on a centimeter grid
<br />board and measured afield for (I) total length, (2) fork length, (3) distance
<br />between insertions of pectoral and pelvic fins, (4) nuchal depth, (5) minimum
<br />caudal peduncle depth, (6) caudal peduncle length, (7) head length, (8) length
<br />of dorsal fin base, (9) length of anal fin base, (10) dorsal and anal fin-ray
<br />counts, (II) maximum caudal peduncle depth, (12) maximum body depth,
<br />and (13) snout length. These measurements were analyzed using principal
<br />components analysis (Humphries et al. 1981) and, together with the morpho-
<br />logical characters and ratios, were used to distinguish the three species of
<br />chubs-Gila cypha, G. elegans, and G. robUSla. Specimens that could not be
<br />definitively identified to species were classified as Gila sp.
<br />
<br />Methods
<br />
<br />Species Composition
<br />
<br />Six field trips were conducted annually in 1985 and 1986, eight in 1987,
<br />and nine in 1988. Sampling was conducted in every month, except during
<br />spring runoff in May-June and during winter in November-February. Access
<br />to the study area was by motorized rafts from launch sites at either Potash on
<br />the Colorado River or Mineral Bottom on the Green River. The takeout was at
<br />Hite Marina on Lake Powell, about 160 km downstream. Launch sites were
<br />alternated between the Colorado and Green rivers to systematically sample
<br />all five regions.
<br />Fish were sampled by a variety of means, including electrofishing, gill
<br />nets, trammel nets, seines, minnow traps, hoop nets, larval drift nets, kick
<br />screens, and dip nets. Native fish were counted and individually measured,
<br />weighed, and released. Nonnative fish were counted and individually mea-
<br />sured and weighed (when captured in small numbers) or subsampled for
<br />lengths and weights (when captured in large numbers). Catch per unit effort
<br />(CPUE) was computed for each species by gear type as number of fish/ I 0 h of
<br />electrofishing, number/30 m of gill or trammel netlloo h, number/lOO 1112
<br />seined, or number/to h of minnow traps or hoop nets. Larval drift nets were
<br />assessed as number of fish/10m3 of water filtered, and fish captured by kick
<br />screens and dip nets were expressed as number captured by effort. All data
<br />were recorded on field data sheets using the upper Colorado River basin data
<br />base codes and later electronically stored as dBASE 111+ files.
<br />Endangered fish longer than 175 mm total length (TL) were marked
<br />with serially numbered Carlin dangler tags attached to the musculature at the
<br />base of the dorsal fin (Valdez et al. 1981). Humpback chub, roundtail chub,
<br />and suspected bony tail were distinguished by field examination of morpho-
<br />logical characters and field photographs and measurements used for later
<br />examination. Morphological characters were mouth overhang, jaw length,
<br />nuchal hump, skull depression, caudal peduncle angle, nuchal scalation, and
<br />breast scalation (Douglas et al. 1989). Morphological ratios included
<br />dorsal:anal fin-ray count, caudal peduncle length divided by head length, and
<br />
<br />Thirty-one species of fish, including 23 nonnative and exotic and 8
<br />native species, were found in the study area from 1985 through 1988 (Table I).
<br />All four species of mainstem endangered fishes were captured, including
<br />humpback chub, bony tail, Colorado squawfish, and razorback sucker. These
<br />four species accounted for fewer than 6% of individuals captured in any given
<br />year of the study and about 3% overall. Of the eight native species, six were
<br />endemic-humpback chub, bony tail, rouildtail chub, Colorado squawfish,
<br />flannel mouth sucker (Caloslomlls lal;p;nn;s), and razorback sucker-and
<br />two were native but not endemic-speckled dace (Rhin;chlhys OSCU/IIS) and
<br />bluehead sucker (c. discobollls). The eight native species collectively ranged
<br />from less than Ito 19% of the total catch by region (Table 2).
<br />Numerically, nonnative species made up 95% of the fish encountered in
<br />all years combined, while the eight native species made up only 5% (Fig. 2).
<br />Five nonnative species-red shiner (Cyprillella llllrensis), sand shiner
<br />(Nolropis stramineus), channel catfish (lctalurus punctalus), common carp
<br />(Cyprilllls carpio), and fathead minnow {Pimephales promelas)-accounted
<br />for 90% of the catch. Red shiners outnumbered all other species in region I
<br />(Green River), region 3 (Confluence), region 4 (Cataract Canyon), and region
<br />5 (Lake Powell). This species was abundant in shallow, protected areas with
<br />silt and sand substrate. Sand shiners were dominant in region 2 (Colorado
<br />River), where sand substrate was predominant.
<br />Nonnative species accounted for 80 to 99% of the fish caught by region
<br />(Table 2). The greatest percentage of nonnative species caught was in region
<br />5, where both lacustrine and riverine species were abundant. Species that
<br />were present in region 5-but rare or absent in the riverine habitat of regions
<br />1-4-included black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaclIlatlls), bluegill (Lepomis
<br />macrochirus), small mouth bass (Microplerus dolomieui), threadfin shad
<br />(Dorosoma pelellense), walleye (Sti'l.ostedion vitreum), and striped bass.
<br />
|