9509

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9509
• Author: Hill, C. G.
• Title: Dynamics of Northern Pike Spawning and Nursery Habitat in the Yampa River, Colorado.
• USFW Year: 2004.
• USFW - Doc Type: Fort Collins, Colorado.
• Copyright Material: NO

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Wetted areas of nine selected backwaters during early April 2002
and 2003, the change in area between years, and the extent of
their connection to the main channel during the peak spring
runoffof2002 and 2003. ............ ......... ... ......... .......... .....

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List of Tables

Page

List of Figures

1 The study area is located in northwestern Colorado between the
towns of Craig and Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The upper
Boundary of designated critical habitat for endangered fish in the
Yampa River is at river mile (RM) 139. .............. ....... ...... ..... 15

2 The mean daily discharge of the Yampa River at Steamboat
Springs from 1911-2003, and during 2002 and 2003. ................. 16

3 Adult northern pike collected in three study area backwaters
between April 11, 2002 and May 23, 2002. " . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .,. . ... 17

4 The number and orientation of33 backwater sites on the Yampa
River study area larger than 6000 ft2. Sites were categorized by
orientation to the main river channel (perpendicular or parallel)
and evidence of some connection to the main river channel during

spring runoff. ..... .......................................................... 18

5 Frequency distribution of age-O northern pike CPUE (age-O northern
Pike collected per 10 min of electro fishing effort) in 2002 and 2003
From river backwaters and a gravel pit pond. Gravel pit pond
sampling consisted of two sites; one where adult northern pike were
collected during spawning and one where the outlet stream of the
pond connected to the Yampa River. There were two sampling
periods in 2002 and 3 sampling periods in 2003. ...................... 19

6 A timeline for likely northern pike maturation in the Yampa River
and flows for April 1, 2003 to June 30,2003. Development stages
based on Swift (1965) and Billard (1996). We first observed
young of the year northern pike in the river backwaters on June 17,

2003. ........................................................................ 20

Keywords: northern pike, spawning, nursery habitat, barrier evaluation, Yampa River,
Colorado endangered fishes, movements, tagging

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