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<br />METHODS <br />~ Stocking fish <br />All razorback sucker used for this study were obtained from the Ouray National <br /> <br />Fish Hatchery. Stocking densities for age-1 and larval razorback sucker were <br />dependent on the number of excess fish available from the hatchery. Excess age-1 fish <br />were available in the fall of 1998, spring of 1999 and spring of 2000. Larval fish were <br />~ available for stocking in 1999 and 2001. <br />Most age-1 razorback sucker were stocked by hatchery personnel in the spring <br />just prior to floodplain connection with the river. The only exception occurred when 125 <br />~ fish were stocked in the fall of 1998 (Table 1). All fish stocked in the study sites were <br />tagged with coded wire tags to distinguish them from other razorback sucker stocked in <br />the river. Each of the three sites received 1,985 age-1 razorback sucker in the spring of <br />1999 and 2,511 in the spring of 2000 (Table 1). Based on site inundation areas at river <br />flows of 364 m3/s (13,000 cfs) stocking densities in 1999 were 254 fish/ha at The <br />~ Stirrup, 128 fish/ha at Baeser Bend and 120 fish/ha at Above Brennan. Stocking <br />densities in 2000 were 322 fish/ha at The Stirrup, 162 fish/ha at Baeser Bend and 152 <br />fish/ha at Above Brennan (Table 1). <br />To determine if mortality occurred as a result of stocking stress, 204 age-1 fish <br />were returned to the hatchery in 1999. These fish were transported to the study sites <br />. on the same day all age-1 fish were stocked. Instead of stocking them in the study <br /> <br />sites they were returned to the hatchery and stocked into a pond for closer observation. <br />No mortality occurred and these fish were stocked into Baeser Bend sixty two days later <br />6 <br /> <br />