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<br />4' <br /> <br />ECOLOGY OF RIVERINE FISHES IN REGULATED STREAM SYSTEMS <br /> <br />67 <br /> <br />Gorge Dam between 1962 and 1966 were relatively low to allow the <br />reservoir to fill. These low flows were warmed by ambient condi- <br />tions, so summer temperatures were increased from about SOC to near <br />130C shortly below the dam. After 1966, the releases were doubled <br />and ambient warming was reduced to only a few degrees. This change <br />in flow, and the resultant temperature change, reduced the tailwater <br />trout fishery substantially and also eliminated successful reproduc- <br />tion of Colorado squawfish for 40 additional kilometers below the <br />dam (Holden and Stalnaker, 1975; Holden, 1977; Holden and Crist, <br />1979). <br /> <br />The Bureau of Reclamation installed inlet modifications on <br />Flaming Gorge Dam in 1978 to draw water from higher, warmer levels. <br />This project was initiated to help the failing tailwater trout <br />fishery. It is expected that the warmer summer flows will also <br />bring back successful reproduction of Colorado squawfishto the <br />40 km of river mentioned. Studies are being conducted to monitor <br />the effect of the inlet modification on both the trout fishery and <br />the native warm-water species. If this project is successful, it <br />may provide a methodology for alleviating negative temperature <br />problems below other dams. <br /> <br />Changes in native fish populations in the Colorado River <br />system caused by changes in turbidity-water chemistry or gas super- <br />saturation have not been documented. The Colorado River historically <br />fluctuated tremendously in turbidity and water chemistry, therefore, <br />it is probable that the native species are fairly well adapted to <br />extremes in these parameters. Gas supersaturation, caused by <br />spillage over the dam, has occurred at Navajo Dam, with resulting <br />kills of planted trout (W. McNall, pers. comm., New Mexico Game and <br />Fish Department, Santa Fe). <br /> <br />The effect of reduced flows on the Colorado River fauna has <br />not been adequately studied. The Colorado River Storage Project <br />dams reduced flows significantly in all of the upper basin. Flows <br />were reduced most drastically in the San Juan River and the Gunnison- <br />Colorado rivers (Joseph et al., 1977), where mean monthly May flows <br />were reduced to the lowest levels on record, even lower than the <br />drought years of the 1930s. Flows in the Green River were not as <br />severely reduced, primarily because of the natural inflow of the <br />Yampa and White rivers, two of the three non-regulated large trib- <br />utaries in the entire Colorado River system. Colorado squawfish <br />still reproduce successfully in much of the Green River (Holden and <br />Stalnaker, 1975; Holden, 1977; Holden and Crist, 1979), but repro- <br />duction in the Colorado River has not been documented since 1964 <br />(Taba et al., 1965; Holden and Stalnaker, 1975; Seethaler, 1978). <br />No studies have been conducted to determine reasons for this loss <br />of reproduction. Temperatures in the Colorado River remain normal. <br />