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than rainbow trout which helps the brown trout population maintain a more <br />stable density in streams with light or moderate fishing pressure. Lastly, <br />wild brown trout populations were present in all ten study sites while rainbow <br />trout populations existed at only five sites and dominated at only two sites. <br />PHABSIM calculates rainbow and brown trout W.U.A. separately. Total <br />W.U.A.versus total trout standing stock should more accurately represent <br />streams with both species. An attempt to estimate total W.U.A. was made by <br />superimposing the rainbow and brown trout preference curves and developing a <br />new curve which defined the overlap of the two trout (Fig. 5). The program <br />was re-run, using the overlap velocity, depth and substrate curves. The <br />resulting W.U.A. was then subtracted from the sum of the W.U.A. for rainbow <br />and brown trout. The regressions for total W.U.A. versus total trout density <br />and biomass were significant at the 0.05 level (Figs. 6 and 7). <br />This regression analysis supports the contention that W.U.A. and trout <br />standing stock are highly correlated. <br />To complete the carrying capacity equation, a value for B/H (potential <br />adult biomass per unit W.U.A.) must be supplied. This value canmbe obtained <br />from a stream that is believed to be at its carrying capacity. An example is <br />the South Platte River, Cheesman Canyon, trout population (catch and release <br />area for R years) . By dividing total ?+1.iJ.A. }~y total. adult biomass for this <br />area, the B/H value was found to be 8.6 g/ft (Table 2). The fact that this <br />was the largest B/H value of the ten study sites is not surprising since this <br />area has a large an~ stable adult trout population and no suckers (Table 1). <br />Not many trout streams in Colorado fit this description. <br />B/H values from streams with other biological characteristics could <br />also be used. The Colorado River, similar t2o the South Platte at Cheesman <br />Canyon, except with 10% suckers is 7.6 g/ft The South Fork of the Rio <br />Grande is brown trout dominated (less than 5% rainbow trout), has few carry <br />over adults and no suckers. This ~tream had the largest B/H value for areas <br />with this characteristic, 6.5 g/ft Lastly, the North ForkMOf the South <br />Platte ~ith a 50% brown trout and 50% sucker population had a B/H of <br />3.6g/f t m <br />Example use of the carrying capacity equation <br />Indications are that angling mortality has suppressed the trout popula- <br />tion of the Deckers area on the South Platte River well below the physical <br />carrying capacity of this stream (Nehring and Anderson 1983). From 1979 to <br />1982, the South Platte River in the Deckers area has had a total adult trout <br />standing stock averaging 106 kg/1000 ft (203 kg/ha) and the range has been <br />' from 92 to 136 kg/1000 ft. The habitat quality appears to he midway between <br />that of Cheesman Canyon (6J.U.A. = 37,050) and Trumbull (W.U.A. = 21,800). <br />Using W.U.A. = 29,400 for Deckers, what would PHABSIM predict biomass of this <br />area to be in the absence of angling mortality? <br />C.C. = 29,400 ft2/1000 x 8.6 g/ft2 = 253 kg/1000 ft (485 kg/ha) <br />Therefore, the habitat would probably support an adult population 238% larger <br />31 <br />