9329

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9329
• Author: Hawes, K.
• Title: A River Runs Through It
• USFW Year: 1995
• USFW - Doc Type: Golf Course Management
• Copyright Material: YES

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fj20lf course in the desert might A rare sight construction of dams, reduction of
seem an unusual place to find "We're losing many of our native river flows and competition by non-
ndangered fish, but at Emerald fish in Arizona," says Chuck Minckley, native fish have threatened existence
Canyon in Parker, Ariz., it seems to project coordinator at Parker Fish- of these native fish.
make perfect sense. eries Resource Office, a division of the Minckley points out that the dams
Emerald Canyon's proximity to the u.s. Fish andWildUfeService. Minck- have stopped historic spawning runs.
Colorado River makes for a beautiful ley says the four "big~riverfish"'- the and controlled water releases have
round of golf. It also leaves the Colorado squawfis~humpbackchub, 'destroyed spawning sites. Dams also
course's management feeling a sense bonytail chub~d,raiorback sucker-"re1ease exceptionally cold water from
of duty to protect the river's beauty are aU on the:~dangeredspeciesIist.,:". the bottom of the reservoir, called a
and biological diversity. In fact, the Iast:ImO\NI'r,wildCOlorado" hypolimnion release, which interferes
"Our course is unique in that you ' squawfjsh W3$(;a.ugn! in.. 1972 in the -ot<-'With the native fishs abilities to reproduce.
can see the river from several holes," Grand CanyomtZ<;Z,~~;;[1tt~';'~3~~::;j~{~f*':~~:~;;;"TheYJleed warmer waters to
says Steve Benton,EmeraldCanyon's:>BecauseoEt:1ieidarg~sjzearic:fdJs_:",'Spawn successfully and to allow for
general manager and head pro. "The tinct appeararrces; the.: bi~rriver fish. normal egg and fry development," he
golf course is cut right out of the would be,notitecrjfmsportfisherman~;i.says. "In addition, there are so many
mountains. It winds through the, ,caught one: accidentally. "Thesafish exotic and introduced fish that eat
mountains and through the canyons, , used to getveij)arg~'MfucKley;SaY~: Ytheireggs and young.'"
cut by the river. There are even holes "The COlorad6:$quawfiSh'coulcLreacrr' ')~~?The waters of the Colorado River
where golfers have to hit over the 6 feet in length and:. weigh mOused to be teeming with these fish.
canyon to get to the green,When we pounds.. The normal size of a grown "About 50 years ago, bony tail chub
were contacted about rising-our lakes bony tail chub is 14 to 16 inches, and a were abunaantin the lower Colorado,"
as a habitat for fish native to the Col- razorback can get up to 3 feet long." Minckley says. "Now the bony tail is
orado River, it all seemedto fit" These native fish are near extinc- essentially extinct It took 25 years to
Working with the, U.S. Fish & tion because of habitat destruction catch 30 of them in the wild"
Wildlife Service, Emerald Canyon is throughout their range. The Colorado The population of razorback suck..;
providing a habitat for two species, River was originally a river system ers has also declined drastically in the
the bony tail chub and the razorback with a harsh environment where few lower basin. In 1984, there were
sucker, two of the most endangered fish species were able to adapt. Fed-
fish in the American Southwest. eral wildlife officials say the Continued on p. 44

Golf Course Management / November 1995

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