9691 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Vernal, Utah I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I -I I I I Floodplain Management Plans for the Upper Colorado River Basin to Assist Recovery of the Razorback Sucker Richard A. Valdez, Richard A.I and Pat Nelson2 I R.A. Valdez & Associates, Inc.; lUSFWS. Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program The Recovery Program is developing Flooplain Management Plans (Plans) for the Upper Colorado River Basin to provide restoration and management strategies for existing floodplain sites that have been acquired and/or are managed by the Recovery Program for the benefit of the endangered razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus). The goal of these Plans is to provide adequate floodplain habitats for all life stages of razorback sucker, particularly to serve as nursery areas for larvae and juveniles, for establishment and maintenance of a self-sustaining population, consistent with Species Recovery Goals. The objectives of this Plan are to: (1) inventory floodplain habitats; (2) identify and acquire available floodplain easements; (3) restore and manage available floodplains to benefit razorback sucker and bonytail; and (4) evaluate the effectiveness of restoration. It is hypothesized from scientific studies and hatchery culture that two other endangered fish species, bonytail (Gila elegans) and Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), will also benefit from a greater availability of floodplain habitat. Separate Floodplain Management Plans are being developed for the Green River Subbasin and the Upper Colorado River Subbasin. These Plans will be implemented in three phases with the first phase including prior program actions and achievements, and the last two corresponding to the recovery schedules of the razorback sucker and bonytail. Recovery of these species is estimated to span 22 years, including the first 14 years to establish self- sustaining populations, and the subsequent 8 years for recovery monitoring. Survival of larval razorback suckers (Xyrauchen texanus) in a floodplain depression inhabited by nonnative fish in the Green River, Utah. Brunson, Ron and Kevin Christopherson As part of ongoing efforts to recover the endangered razorback sucker (.Xyrauchen texanus) hatchery produced larval razorback suckers were experimentally stocked into a natural floodplain depression along the Green River, Utah. This study was designed to evaluate if larval razorback suckers could survive in a natural floodplain depression that was also inhabited with nonnative fish and eventually reenter the river. Earlier efforts of stocking larval razorback suckers into Green River floodplain depressions containing abundant nonnative fish were unsuccessful. The very large number of nonnative predators was likely the reason for no observed survival of the stocked larval razorback suckers. Floodplains that dry up during drought years and then flood during wet years 22