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Table 3. Comparison ofback-calculated post-hatch ages of larval pikeminnow using formulas <br />developed by Haynes et al. (1985) and Muth (1990) for fish less than 22 mm. Ages <br />based on average Total Length (mm). <br /> Total Length (mm) AGE (days) <br />YEAR <br />AVG (range) <br />Westwater <br />Moab <br /> Westwater Moab Haynes Muth Haynes Muth <br />1992 9.0 (11.0- 7.0) 9.0 (11.2- 5.5) 11.3 9.9 11.3 9.9 <br />1993 8.5 (10.3- 6.9) 8.8 (10.3- 7.0) 9.2 8.4 10.5 9.3 <br />1994 9.0 (10.0- 7.0) 10 (18.0- 8.0) 11.3 9.9 13.4 12.1 <br />1995 9.2 (10.0- 6.0) 9.0 (11.0- 6.0) 12.2 10.4 11.3 9.9 <br />1996 9.1 (12.0- 7.0) 9.1 (11.0- 6.0) 11.4 10.2 11.4 10.2 <br />Each year, the distribution of collection dates revealed a series of peaks in drift density <br />(#fish/hour), which were frequently associated with slight increases in flow, particularly in 1992 <br />(Figure 4a-e). The distribution of estimated spawning dates also revealed a series of peaks <br />which are similar to and offset from the collection dates by a number of days which varied yearly <br />and between sites (Figure 6a-e). If larvae collected in Moab represented fish spawned above <br />Westwater, and passively drifting past both sites, then collection peaks at both sites would have <br />been identical, although temporally offset at Moab. Current velocities at the Cisco gage vary <br />between 8 km/hour during peak flows and 3.2 km/hour during base flows (CRBRFC, 1997). At <br />those velocities, passively drifting larvae would take 12 to 31 hours to be transported between the <br />two sites, resulting in an approximate one day difference in collection peaks. However, <br />collection peaks were not always identical between Westwater and Moab, or offset by one day, <br />suggesting that although larvae are probably transported past Westwater and Moab, some <br />additional reproduction is also occurring below Westwater. This supports the actual presence of <br />the suspected spawning site between the two sampling sites. <br />Collection and spawning peaks varied independently between years and sites, although <br />there was much similarity. In 1992, both sites had four peaks in larval collection and estimated <br />spawning dates. The collection peaks were offset from spawning peaks by 16 to 17 days. In <br />1993, both sites had 2 peaks, which were offset by 8 to 10 days at Westwater and 15 days at <br />Moab. In 1994, there were three peaks at each site, offset by 19 days each. In 1995, there was <br />one minor and one major peak at Moab, both offset by 15 days. At Westwater few fish were <br />collected, and the collections were offset from spawning by 18 days. In 1996, there were two <br />peaks at each site, offset by 15 days. The peaks in collection and estimated spawning could be a <br />result of different groups of spawning fish, or the same individuals undergoing sustained periods <br />of ripeness punctuated by activity, or larvae produced at different sites being collected at <br />different times, or combinations of the above. In any case, the drift stations did not appear to be <br />sampling the same populations of drifting larvae, although some overlap likely occurred. <br />7 <br />