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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Three thousand Age 1 channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) were stocked in Kenney Reservoir in 1992 to evaluate this species as a sportfish. All fish were marked with an adipose fin clip for future identification. An evaluation was conducted from 1993 to 1994, with some additional sampling in 1995, 1996, and 1997. The objectives of the study were to evaluate (1) survival, growth, and retention of channel catfish in the reservoir, and (2) escapement numbers and timing from the reservoir downstream to the White River. The White River below Kenney Reservoir is critical and occupied habitat for the endangered Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), and there is concern nonnative channel catfish could jeopardize the recovery of that species. Kenney Reservoir is a mainstem impoundment on the White River near Rangely, Colorado. Sampling for channel catfish in the reservoir was conducted using gill nets, trammel nets, baited hoop nets, trotlines, and electrofishing. Channel catfish were sampled from the river using electrofishing and baited hoop nets. Sampling effort for the reservoir was 3,042 hours. Sampling effort was 1,390 hours for the river. Two hundred and seventy-eight channel catfish were collected from the reservoir. Nineteen of these (7%) were unmarked or wild fish that were trapped in the reservoir when the dam was constructed or have been illicitly stocked. A wild channel catfish population exists in the White River below the reservoir. The other 259 reservoir channel catfish were stocked fish. Growth of channel catfish in the reservoir was good and comparable to other waters in the region. The survival rate was 63% per year for the period 1992-95. Retention appeared good based on the survival rate, although two stocked fish were collected from the White River above the reservoir. Four hundred and four channel catfish were collected from the White River downstream of Kenney Reservoir. None of these were stocked fish, which shows downstream escapement is very low. This further supports the conclusion that retention of channel catfish in the reservoir is good. Channel catfish appear to be suitable for use as a sportfish in Kenney Reservoir. The Kenney Reservoir lake management plan should be amended to include stocking of channel catfish within certain guidelines. These include stocking low numbers of fish to maintain good growth rates, monitoring the White River below the reservoir for future escapement, and monitoring the fish population above the reservoir for changes in species composition. vi