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<br /> <br />Historically, flows in the San Juan River were highly variable before <br />completion of Navajo Dam, New Mexico in 1963. This dam, part of the Colorado <br />River Storage Project, regulates flows for irrigation and municipal purposes <br />(Carlson and Carlson 1982). The average discharge of the San Juan River between <br />1914. and 1986 was 2,577 cubic feet per second (cfs; U.S. Geologic Survey <br />(U.S.G.S.)), Bluff, Utah gaging station, number 09374500). The highest flow <br />recorded for the period of record (1914-17 and 1927-86) was 70,00 cfs on 10 <br />September 1927. Zero flows were recorded on 3-13 July 1934 and 24-29 August <br />1939. Navajo Dam has moderated the natural extremes of the yearly hydrograph. <br />Co 1 d water releases have decreased fl uctuat ions in, and lowered the annual <br />temperature regime of the San Juan River, especially above the confluence with <br />the Animas River. Effects of the operation of Navajo Dam on San Juan River flows <br />are greatly diminished below the Animas River (VTN 1978). <br /> <br />METHODS <br /> <br />Sampling of the river was stratified by river miles which were designated <br />on a base map (U.S.G.S. 7.5 minute quadrangle), with Piute Farms, Utah designated <br />RMI zero and subsequent miles numbered upstream (Figures 2 and 3). All data <br />collected were referenced to the nearest 0.1 RMI. The river was blocked into <br />5-mi reaches for el ectrofi shi ng and sei ni ng. The 5-mi reaches were numbered <br />consecutively upstream and assigned reach code numbers (e.g., RMI 0-5 = reach <br />code 1, RMI 5-10 = reach code 2, etc.). <br /> <br />SorinQ ElectrofishinQ <br /> <br />A 16-foot rigid-bottom aluminum boat outfitted for electrofishing was used <br />during the spring electrofishing efforts. Power for electrofishing.was produced <br />with a Honda EMS4500 generator (Honda Motor Co., Tokyo, Japan). Pulsed direct <br />current was produced with a variable voltage pulsator (VVP-15, Coffelt Elec- <br />tronics Inc., Englewood, Colorado). Standardized electrofishing runs were made <br />from Four-Corners to Sand Island (RMI 136-87) and consisted of three electro- <br />fishing runs through each 5-mi reach (Figure 2). First run covered the best <br />habitat; second run covered right bank; and, third covered the left bank. All <br />fish stunned in the first mile of each 5-mi reach were captured with dip nets, <br />enumerated and recorded by species for that river reach. Fish that were missed <br />and could be identified to species were enumerated and recorded. Because of <br />their abundance and relative ease of identification, carp stunned in the first <br />mil e segment were counted, and no attempt was made to net them. Catch' rates <br />(fish per mile and fish per hour) were calculated from this standardized <br />electrofishing data. Total electrofishing time (seconds), as indicated on the <br />VVP timer, was recorded for each I-mi segment and 5-mi reach. Only rare fishes <br />were captured in the remaining 4-mi of each 5-mi reach. Rare fish were weighed <br />(+/- 20g) and measured (TL mm) and those longer than 200 mm TL were marked with <br />a numbered blue Carlin tag. <br /> <br />After the completiGn of the spring standardized electrofishing, additional <br />target electrofishing was conducted. These efforts were directed solely at <br />collecting rare endemic Colorado River fishes. During additional target <br /> <br />8 <br />