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<br />Flows identified by inflection points were within a fairly narrow range within and <br /> <br /> <br />between habitat types. For all three habitat types, the mean values fell within a range of <br /> <br /> <br />61 to 113 cfs. The mean of the inflection points for rimes ranged from 83 to 113 cfs. <br /> <br /> <br />Rimes inflection points were found to be at somewhat higher flows than for runs and <br /> <br />pools. Flows of 100 to 125 cfs would be sufficient to meet or exceed 70% of the rimes <br /> <br />surveyed and presumably maintain the majority of rime habitats and the organisms <br />associated with them. <br /> <br /> <br />Habitat diversity of the Yampa River above Cross Mountain appears to be very <br /> <br /> <br />low. Runs were by far the dominate habitat type (80% plus) and this may be the result of <br /> <br /> <br />habitat simplification processes attributable to land use practices. Runs have limited <br /> <br /> <br />potential as habitat for invertebrates because sand is generally considered to be a poor <br /> <br /> <br />substrate, due to its instability, and because tight packing of sand grains reduce the <br /> <br /> <br />trapping of detritus and can limit the availability of oxygen. Because runs are generally <br /> <br /> <br />poorer quality habitats and are not limited in the river, efforts need to be directed to <br /> <br /> <br />maintaining as many functioning riffle habitats as possible. <br /> <br />... <br /> <br />Colorado Squawfish Habitat Availability <br />Gross wetted area is basically mean stream width times stream length and <br /> <br />therefore is an average of all cross sections in a cluster. The mean of the inflection points <br /> <br />for gross wetted area was 89.6 cfs for all clusters, similar to results for the mean <br /> <br /> <br />inflection point by habitat types, 93 cfs for rimes, 86 cfs for runs, and 87 cfs for pools. <br /> <br /> <br />The mean of the inflection point for rimes (93 cfs) was the highest of the three habitat <br /> <br /> <br />types and should produce a curve break at a higher flow than when all habitat types are <br /> <br /> <br />averaged (GW A). The curve break for GW A was found to be consistent with the rime <br /> <br /> <br />curve break, the primary tool used to base a minimum flow recommendation. <br /> <br />30 <br />