7758

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7758
• Author: Stanford, J. A. and P. C. Nelson.
• Title: Instream Flows to Assist the Recovery of Endangered Fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin.
• USFW Year: 1994.
• USFW - Doc Type: Denver, Colorado.
• Copyright Material: NO

Contents
Page
Abstract ................................................. 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Endangered Fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin .. ... . .. ......... .. .. . 3
Purpose and Objectives of the Study . .. .. . .. ... .. . ....... .. ... ... 3
Methods and Approach ... . .. .. . .. .. ..... . ... .. . . . . .... .. .. . ... . 5
Review of Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Peer Review and Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Ecological Context for Instream Flow Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
River Ecology and Effects of Regulation on the Endangered Fishes of the Upper
Colorado River Basin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Ecology of the Endangered Fishes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Dynamic Relationships Between Flow, Channel Geomorphology, and Food Webs . . . . . . . . 11
Influences of Stream Regulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Conclusions Based on Review of the Ecological Literature Pertaining to the
Endangered Fishes and the Regulation of Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Derivation of Flows Currently Recommended to Protect the Endangered Fishes . . . . . . . . . . 26
Review of Instream Flow Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Flow Regimes Recommended to Protect and Enhance Endangered Fishes in the
Upper Colorado River Basin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Problems With the Flow Recommendations of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service . . . . . . . . 31
Critical Uncertainties in the Recovery Program With Respect to Provision of River
Flows to Protect Endangered Fishes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Critical Uncertainties at the Information (Scientific) Level of Organization . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Recommendations: An Ecosystem Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Implement Interim Flows That Reestablish Seasonality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Provide Common Understanding of Water Availability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Improve the Standardized Monitoring Program: Add a Community Ecology
Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Diversify the Research Program to Resolve Critical Uncertainties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Implement a Peer Review Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Implement Adaptive Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Cited Literature .. . .. .. . . ... .. . . . . ... .. . . . . . . .. . ... . . .. .. . . .. 42
iii