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<br />summer of 1995 to inspect, ground truth, and mark each habitat cluster and cross section with <br /> <br /> <br />wooden stakes and plastic flagging. <br /> <br /> <br />Six sampling trips, three each in 1995 and 1996, were planned in late summer and early <br /> <br /> <br />fall to collect meso- and microhabitat data at each of three experimental flows. Some <br /> <br /> <br />adjustments, however, had to be made after the 1995 field season. The number of habitat clusters <br /> <br /> <br />and cross sections that realistically could be sampled had to be reduced because the experimental <br /> <br /> <br />flows out of Taylor Draw Dam could only be sustained for 5 days. Also, only one sampling trip <br /> <br /> <br />was made in late summer 1995 because of extended spring runoff and high flows. The number of <br /> <br /> <br />habitat clusters and cross sections sampled for 1995 and 1996 are given in Figure 2. <br /> <br /> <br />The habitat types found along each cross section were recorded. Habitat criteria <br /> <br /> <br />developed by Bisson et al. (1982) and Modde et a1. (1991) were modified to define each habitat <br /> <br /> <br />type (Appendix 1). Field measurements were taken in accordance with Bovee and Milhous <br /> <br /> <br />(1978). A measuring tape was stretched across each cross section and width, depth, and water <br /> <br /> <br />velocity measurements were taken at 0.5 m intervals. Water velocity measurements were taken <br /> <br /> <br />with a Marsh-McBimey flow meter at 0.6 of the water depth when depths were < 0.76 m, and at <br /> <br /> <br />0.2 and 0.8 the depth when water depths were> 0.76 m (Leopold et al. 1964, Buchanan and <br /> <br /> <br />Somers 1969). Finally, water temperature was taken at each habitat cluster. <br /> <br /> <br />Experimental Flows <br /> <br /> <br />Three experimental flows were selected from past flow records (Ann Brady, Rio Blanco <br /> <br /> <br />Water Conservancy District, personal communication; Lentsch et aI., 2000): 150,350, and 551 <br /> <br /> <br />cfs. The lowest flow was requested for late fall 1995 and 1996 when routine maintenance work <br /> <br /> <br />on Taylor Draw Dam was to be done. Unfortunately, this maintenance was not accomplished and <br /> <br />5 <br />