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• 35 1. Increase angler satisfaction and opportunities (Long Range Plan Goals 12, 12.1, and 12.31. • 2. Reservoir provides warmwater fish habitat rather than Coldwater fish habitat. 3. Improve the channel catfish sportfishery which used to be popular. 4. Control the population size of undesirable fishes (white sucker, carpi and stunted panfish by stocking walleye as a top level predator. • 5. Angler days are anticipated to be only 280 this year, reflecting the unusually poor fishing in such a large water that is situated fairly close to an urban area. 6. Species and numbers -Channel catfish - 8,000/yr • IV. Escapement factors A. Escapement potential 1. Mack Wash and Salt Wash connect the reservoir to the Colorado River • and critical habitat for endangered fishes. The distance from Highline Reservoir to the Colorado River is over seven miles. Mack and Salt Washes would be poor habitat for sportfish that have escaped from the reservoir. 2. Preliminary data from monitoring stocked channel catfish in Kenney Reservoir indicates that large numbers of fish have remained in the • reservoir.Catfish stocked into Highline Reservoir could be expected to behave similarly. 3. The consequences of stocking walleye into Highline Reservoir could be expected to be similar to having walleye in Rifle Gap Reservoir. Walleye were stocked into Rifle Gap Reservoir in 1972 and have been • able to escape the reservoir since because water is released continuously. Walleye have been found in Rifle Creek below the reservoir spillway yet only one fish has been reported from the Colorado River. This indicates that walleye have not been able to establish a population in the Colorado River even though they have had ample opportunity to do so. • 4. Channel catfish and walleye are normally not inhabitants of the littoral zone, which will reduce the potential for escapement over the spillway. 6. Survival potential following escapement 1. Channel catfish from Highline Reservoir could survive in the Colorado River, as evidenced by the large, wild catfish population in the river. • However, hatchery reared fish stocked into the reservoir fish could not be expected to compete well with wild fish in a riverine environment. In addition, the trip down Mack and Salt Washes would be difficult •