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1 <br />Four different control fish and two experimental treatment fish were observed to occupy <br />backwater habitat in the Green River below the release site. Fish 1 C was observed in two <br />separate backwaters (Anderson Bottom and at Green River RK 12) and fish 6C was <br />located in Horse Canyon backwater (Green River RK 23.3) on three separate occasions. <br />Backwaters were only utilized by the control fish during the first 2 weeks. Fish 15E was <br />the only sucker observed to still utilize backwater habitat after 2 weeks (July 9, day 20). <br />Fish15E was located in Dead Horse Canyon (Green River RK 31.5 ), which was rapidly <br />becoming dry. This fish did not need rescued, however, because a flash flood carved 15E <br />into the river shortly after day 20. <br /> Between the 0 to 14 day period following release, razorback suckers utilized riverine <br />habitats which experienced all available current intensities, but the majority of fish <br /> locations were in regions of slow or no current (Table 4). In spite of a high affinity for <br /> slow current, many razorback suckers (SE, 10E, 14E, 15E, 2C, SC, 6C, and 7C) moved <br /> between regions of slow current (<~1.4 km/hr) and swift current (>~3.8 km/hr). Fish 6E, <br /> 8E, 1C, 14C, and 15C were observed to only utilize habitats with slow or no current. <br /> Fish 6E, 14C, and 15C were located in near shore regions; 1 C was found in Anderson <br /> backwater (Green River RK 49.8) on day 1 and in a shallow backwater at Green River <br /> RK 12 on day 7; and 8E was in a slow moving eddy pool at Colorado River RK 342. <br /> Sucker 9C was the only fish that utilized solely regions of swift water. Fish 9C was <br /> located in different sections of swift water on three separate occasions during these first <br /> 15 days. <br /> <br /> During the period of 15 to 29 days since release, 12 of 15 razorback suckers were found <br /> to be in habitats of slow or no current. Fish 11 C, 15C, and SE were positioned in slow <br /> current, as well as occupying moderate current (11 C and 15C, ~ 1.4-4.6 km/hr) and swift <br /> current (SE). <br /> During the final 4 weeks the suckers began to reoccupy habitats with swift current, as <br /> well as continuing to utilize slow current regions. Only 7C moved between habitats in <br /> different current categories. Fish 7C occupied the very deep, swiftly flowing water in the <br /> run adjacent to and upstream from the "Dangerous Rapids Ahead" sign at Colorado River <br /> RK 345. As previously mentioned, fish 7C was also observed on one occasion to move <br />1 out of the channel and move upstream along the northwestern bank approximately 100 m. <br /> Razorback suckers initially began to occupy habitats of seemingly every available depth <br /> (Table 5). During the first 14 days,. the experimental fish were utilizing chiefly shallow <br /> (0-1.2 m) or deep water. Only one fish from the experimental treatment (15E) was <br /> located in a habitat of moderate depth (1.2 to 3.0 m). Fish 15E was also found in the <br /> shallowest backwater habitats and the deep main channel. The control treatment fish <br /> were found in similar proportions in shallow, moderate, and deep habitats. Three control <br /> fish (2C, 6C, and 7C) were observed to move between shallow and deep regions of the <br /> Green and Colorado Rivers. <br /> 13 <br /> <br />