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1991). Adult Colorado pikeminnows still occur in the White River up to Taylor Draw Dam (Chart <br />1987, Trammell 1991, Irving and Modde 1994, McAda et al. 1994). Because of the existence of an <br />endangered species downstream of the dam, any sportfishery developed in the reservoir must not <br />jeopardize the recovery of that species. <br />The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) prepazed a Kenney Reservoir Lake Management Plan <br />(LMP) in 1986 to direct the development of the sportfishery. This plan directed creating a <br />sportfishery based on stocking rainbow trout and Colorado pikeminnows. However, Chart ((1987) <br />and Trammell (1991) documented rainbow trout movement from the reservoir both upstream and <br />downstream; while Trammell (1991) reported that most Colorado pikeminnows disappeared from <br />the reservoir after one year, with large numbers having escaped over the spillway. Elmblad (1997) <br />reported that the attempt to create a Colorado pikeminnow sportfishery in Kenney Reservoir was <br />unsuccessful. <br />Local rumors have circulated that northern pike, largemouth bass, bluegill, and black crappie had <br />been illicitly planted in the reservoir. Trammell (1991) found largemouth bass in the reservoir in <br />1988 and channel catfish, bluegill, and black crappie from 1988 to 1990. CDOW (unpublished data) <br />found bluegill-and black crappie in 1992 and black crappie and channel catfish annually from 1993 <br />to 1997. Black crappie currently provide a limited reservoir sportfishery. However, black crappie <br />have also been found in the White River below the reservoir (Trammell 1991, CDOW unpublished <br />data). Since black crappie are a new transplant to the White River, appearing about 1988 (Trammell <br />1991), and because of their predatory nature, there is concern this species could impact endangered <br />Colorado River basin fish. <br />Channel catfish have been discussed as a possible sportfish for Kenney Reservoir since fishery <br />options were first considered. As early as 1989 it became apparent that Colorado pikeminnows <br />stocked in Kenney Reservoir were leaving in large numbers and the possibly of establishing a <br />sportfishery was not good. In response to this, the LMP was updated in 1989 and again in 1991 to <br />direct the evaluation of channel catfish as a possible reservoir sportfish if the Colorado pikeminnow <br />sportfish experiment failed. Originally, channel catfish x blue catfish sterile hybrids were proposed <br />for stocking in Kenney Reservoir. A study to follow this introduction was approved by the Recovery <br />Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin (RIP) <br />under Project No. NNA007/9193 in the fiscal year 1991 Work Plan. Subsequently the decision was <br />made not to introduce blue catfish to the Colorado River basin and stocking never occurred. <br />Channel catfish are not native to the White River (Miller et al. 1982). These fish were first stocked <br />in 1907 (Lemons 1955). There aze no other records of stocking channel catfish in the White River. <br />Lynch (1957) reported channel catfish grow very slowly in the White River, but Behnke (1981) <br />predicted improved growth in Kenney Reservoir. Channel catfish are one of the most important <br />sportfish in the United States and in recent years they have become more popular in the west by <br />providing a fishery in waters that will not support trout (Sigler and Sigler 1987). <br />In September 1992, the CDOW stocked Kenney Reservoir with approximately 3,000 channel catfish, <br />3 <br />