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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4. Hold larval razorback suckers in these controlled
environments for a sufficient length of time to allow
them to grow to approximately 250 mm. This should
result in increased survival when fish are introduced to
the river system. Introduce fish produced in the
wetlands and grow-out ponds into the Green River to
augment the existing population.

The long-term goal is to provide essential habitat at this site
for the natural recruitment and survival of the razorback suckers
in the Green River Basin. Objectives to accomplish this goal
include:

1. Monitor all age classes of razorback suckers released as
part of the above short-term augmentation to determine
specific habitat requirements.

2. Modify the controlled wetland systems developed as part
of the short-term objectives to function as part of the
natural river system and provide important off-channel
habitat.

SITE DESCRIPTION

The Escalante Ranch site is located between River Miles 302 and
306 of the Green River (as measured from the confluence with the
Colorado River) near Jensen-in northeastern utah. The site
includes portions of section 34 in T4S R23E and sections 3,9,10
and 15 in T5S R23E (See Figure 1 and Figure 2). Elevation ranges
from 4730 feet near the river to 4790 feet on the upland terrace
sites. General features of the site include the Green River
floodplain, wetlands, an upland terrace area and agricultural
fields (Figure 3). Average annual precipitation at Vernal,
located approximately 12 miles west of the project site, is 8.93
inches. The majority of this falls during the winter months.
The mean annual temperature is 45 F. with extremes of 106 F.
and -43 F. The growing season is approximately 125 days.
Evaporation at the site has been estimated at four acre
feet/acre/year.

The site contains approximately 883 acres which are currently
owned by Dudley (253 acres) and Heely (630 acres) (See Figure 4).
Pending the outcome of further water quality investigations and
the decision of the Biology Committee, the purchase of these
parcels will be pursued as a cooperative effort between the
Bureau of Reclamation, the Utah Division of wildlife Resources
and The Nature Conservancy as fee title lands. The purchase will
also include water rights for Green River water in an amount to
be determined pending final appraisal.

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