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DISCUSSION <br />We evaluated aspects of the protocol offered by Stanford et al. (1996) for restoration of <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />biota in regulated rivers. The chronology of river regulation events and associated biotic <br />evaluations that occurred in the regulated reach of the Green River upstream of the Yampa River <br />from 1962 to 1996 offered an opportunity to determine the effectiveness of thermal enhancement <br />and discharge re-regulation to restore native fishes. Temperature modification in 1978 benefitted <br />growth of trout in the tailwater fishery and had an immediate effect on the downstream native <br />fish community because reproduction by most species was restored. Restoration of more natural <br />flow patterns and associated thermal enhancement in 1992 had a more subtle effect but may be <br />responsible for increased abundance of endangered Colorado pikeminnow in the regulated reach, <br />increased abundance ofnon-indigenous warm water fishes, and reduced abundance of cold water <br />fishes since 1980. Below, we discuss the implications of our results for the river restoration <br />protocol in general and offer specific suggestions for further restoration of physical habitat and <br />the native fish community of the Green River downstream of Flaming Gorge Dam. <br />Effects of Flaming Gorge Dam on Green River discharge and temperature patterns.- The <br />major event that affected natural temperature and discharge regimes and the sediment budget in <br />the Green River system was closure and operation of Flaming Gorge Dam in 1962. Once a <br />summer-warm system where water temperatures exceeded 22°C, post-impoundment <br />hypolimnetic dam releases rarely exceeded 6°C. Normally high spring discharge was eliminated, <br />and the hydrograph was essentially flat. Water released from the dam remained clear in the <br />regulated reach unless tributaries contributed sediment. <br />Temperature modifications implemented in 1978 and flow modifications begun in 1992 <br />have re-created temperature and discharge regimes that more closely resemble historical <br />conditions. Summer releases have been maintained at 13°C since 1978, although water up to <br />15°C was available in some years. The more naturalized post-1992 hydrograph called for spring <br />releases to be increased to about 35 % of pre-dam peaks and lower, and for more stable summer <br />26 <br />