9377 ‎(2)‎

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9377
• Author: Colorado Water Workshop.
• Title: 16th Annual Colorado Water Workshop.
• USFW Year: 1991.
• USFW - Doc Type: Western State College.
• Copyright Material: NO

1. Colorado squawfish in the Colorado river between
Palisade and the Colorado - Utah state line;
2. razorback sucker in both the Colorado and Green river
subbasins;
3. bonytail chub in yet to be identified locations in the
Upper Basin;
4. humpback chub at locations not presently used by those
species, but yet to be identified.
The Colorado squawfish population in the Colorado River below the
Gunnison appears to be very low. The razorback sucker is
spawning, but no recruitment into the population has taken place,
apparently as a result of predation. Until the predation problem
can be dealt with directly, maintenance of brood stocks and
stocking of razorback sucker will probably be necessary to
maintain a population in the Upper Basin. Bonytail chub are
practically non-existent in the Upper Basin. Locations need to
be identified where bonytail populations can be reestablished.
At some locations, humpback chub populations appear to be doing
well and there is no need for augmenting those locations;
however, the populations may need to be augmented in the Green
and Yampa Basins.
Water users realize that stocking will have to be used
intelligently in the Upper Basin. Stocking should be used to
support the attainment of specific recovery goals for each
species, along with the other recovery elements.
Role of Water Acquisition
In the process of negotiating the Recovery Implementation
Program, water users agreed to support acquisition of water for
endangered fishes based on the following conditions:
1) that the water be appropriated in accordance with state
water laws;
2) that the quantity of water appropriated is
demonstrated to be needed for recovery of the
endangered fish.
The Recovery program calls for appropriation of water for
endangered fishes, and transfer of acquired water to the Colorado
Water Conservation board. In the case of either appropriation or
acquisition, water will be protected under the Colorado instream
flow law.
The Colorado Water Conservation board may appropriate or acquire
water if the statutory criteria for appropriation of instream
flows are satisfied. Generally these criteria are 1) the water
is the minimum amount needed to protect the natural environment
2