8022

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 8022
• Author: Muth, R. T., et al.
• Title: Reproduction and Early Life History of Razorback Sucker in the Green River, Utah and Colorado, 1992-1996.
• USFW Year: 1998.
• USFW - Doc Type: 34,
• Copyright Material: NO

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Floodplain wetlands inundated and connected to the main channel by spring-runoff
discharges appear to be important habitats for all life stages of razorback sucker, and the seasonal
timing of reproduction suggests an adaptation for utilizing these habitats. Restoring access to
warm, productive floodplain wetlands to serve as growth and conditioning habitats appears
crucial for recovery of self-sustaining razorback sucker populations in the Green River, and the
natural integrity of large-river ecosystems is dependent on interactions between the main channel
and floodplain. Reestablishment of some river-wetland connections by breeching levees along
the middle Green River is a promising start, but substantial increases in floodplain inundation
will require management of spring-peak releases from Flaming Gorge Dam in wet years when
discharge is high to provide the magnitude and duration of flows necessary for overbank
flooding.

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