9605

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9605
• Author: Schmidt, J. C. and e. al.
• Title: Flow Recommendations for the White River, Utah-Colorado Draft Report.
• USFW Year: 2002.
• USFW - Doc Type: Logan, UT.
• Copyright Material: NO

INTRODUCTION

High discharges are a necessary component of ecologically-based instream flows

(Reiser et al. 1989; Hill et al. 1991; Jackson and Beschta 1992; Petts and Maddock 1996),

because minimum streamflows are insufficient to transport sediment downstream.

Kondolf and Wilcock (1996) stated that, "the importance of floods in maintaining the

dynamic nature of riparian and aquatic ecosystems [is] now widely recognized." The

purpose of this report is to provide the scientific basis for determining those high flows

necessary to maintain the channel ofthe White River near Watson, Utah. The White

River is known habitat for adult Colorado pikeminnow (Pytchocheilus lucius), which is a

federally designated endangered species. A companion report (Chapter B) describes low-

flow requirements for the Colorado pikeminnow in the White River. Together, these two

studies could be used to develop an in-stream flow recommendation for the White River.

Background -- The Objectives of Habitat andChannel Maintenance

The general purposes of floods are to prevent the channel from aggrading and to

maintain the distribution and abundance of habitats available to stream benthos and fish

fauna. Specific ecological purposes of high flows include habitat and channel

maintenance. One attribute of habitat maintenance is to protect the quality of riffle

habitat by (1) preventing accumulation of surficial fine sediment, (2) preventing

accumulation of interstitial fine sediments in gravels, and (3) maintaining gravel

looseness. There are several ecological reasons why riffle habitat should be maintained.
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