7798

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7798
• Author: Richardson, S.
• Title: Conceptual Management Plan for Razorback Sucker Habitat Enhancement in Flooded Bottomlands, Escalante Ranch, Jensen, Utah.
• USFW Year: 1994.
• USFW - Doc Type: \
• Copyright Material: NO

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While the focus of this plan is on razorback s ckers, management
at this site to produce the above conditions will also likely
benefit other sensitive fish species such as t e bony tail chub
and Colorado squawfish. Benefits to other spe ies should be
monitored and adjustments in management consid red to further
enhance the site for other species, provided t ey can be
coordinated with the objectives of this plan.

A number of concerns exist with regard to usin the Escalante
Ranch site for the enhancement of razorback sucker habitat.
Preliminary investigations indicate that ground and surface water
quality may not be adequate for use in wetland or flooded
bottomland developments. Flood levels of the Green River may not
be high enough or of sufficient duration to bring fish into the
wetland area, hold fish long enough for adequate growth and then
allow fish to return to the river system. Predation may reduce
the survival of razorback suckers as the Green River contains
high numbers of predatory fish species. In addition, naturally-
produced razorback sucker larvae may not occur in adequate
numbers to make these developments effective or larvae may have
drifted past the site by the time flows are high enough to allow
access to the wetlands. These concerns could present some
limitation to the effectiveness of developments at this site.
However, this plan presents alternatives which may reduce the
significance of these concerns.

The ultimate goal of the RIP is to protect I maintain and
establish naturally self-sustaining populations of threatened and
endangered fish species, including the razorback sucker. The
purpose of this plan is to present concepts for development of
the Escalante Ranch site which will aid in the realization of the
RIP goal. The plan is developed around both short-term and long-
term goals. The short-term goals are to bolster razorback sucker
populations by enhancing survival of specific life stages in as
natural a situation as possible and to augment existing
populations to improve population characteristics and allow
natural history research on razorback suckers. Objectives to
accomplish this goal include:

1. Develop a system which will allow adult and larval
razorback suckers access to the highly productive wetland
areas that exist or will be developed on the site.

2. Restrict the access of predators to the system and
provide adequate escape cover.

3. Develop grow-out ponds to create a rearing environment
which would provide researchers greater control over
environmental factors such as predation and competition.