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Table 10. Average non-native cyprinid (NNC) densities (number/100 m3) from the upper and <br />lower stations on Colorado River (Trammell and Chart, 1998). <br /> <br />Year Class <br />RUNOFF SUIVIMER <br />#/100 m3 FALL <br />#/100 m3 SPRING <br />#/100 m3 <br />1993 HIGH 943 2473 576- 1994 <br />1995 HIGH 1075 1829 548- 1996 <br />1992 LOW 1866 4373 1748- 1993 <br />1994 LOW 4065 7926 6115- 1995 <br />1996 INTER. 3570 12375 NoData - 1997 <br />Mean Total 2304 5795 2247 <br />Mean HIGH 1009 2151 562 <br />Mean LOW 2965 6149 3931 <br /> INTER. 3507 12375 NoData <br />Non-native cyprinid density estimates varied seasonally. Densities peaked in the fall <br />indicating recruitment of young fish during the summer period. Densities were reduced in the <br />spring indicating over-winter mortality (Table 10). In the two high flow years (1993 and 1995) <br />summer (post-runoff) densities were less than in the spring, presumably because the runoff <br />flooded preferred habitats (backwaters) which reduced habitat availability during high flows. In <br />the other three years (1992, 1994 and 1996) NNC density increased in the summer indicating <br />peak flows of those years did not negatively impact habitat availability and/or temperatures <br />suitable for reproduction were reached sooner. The reduced NNC density in 1993 and 1995 is <br />therefore attributed to runoff conditions. Higher spring than fall NNC density in 1994 (low year) <br />indicates there can be a large range in variability between years. Since data was not collected in <br />the spring of 1997, it is not known how over-winter mortality would have affected year-class <br />strength of the abundant NNC population identified in the 1996 fall. <br />There was a negative correlation between larval Colorado pikeminnow drift density <br />estimates at Loma, Colorado and the average densities for YOY Colorado pikeminnow summer <br />and fall in Utah backwaters (Trammell and Chart 1998). However, the relationship was very <br />weak with the coefficient of determination (RZ) of 0.20. Again the data suggests that year-class <br />strength determined in Moab was not related to reproductive success as measured by number of <br />larvae in the drift at Loma. The reason the relationship was negative was due to the fact that the <br />best year for larval abundance was the worst years of backwater abundance (1995) and the worst <br />year for larval abundance was the best year for backwater abundance (1996). The 1995 results <br />may be explained by the theory that high summer flows stimulated increase spawning efforts and <br />larval production. However, Colorado pikeminnow larval size was small and survival poor in <br />1995 because of a short growing season. Therefore even though many larvae were produced, <br />few survived. <br />However the 1996 data does not lend itself to flow related explanations. 1996 had the <br />lowest total larvae production including Colorado pikeminnow, other native and non-native <br />species at Loma. This indicates either reduced spawning (adult numbers) or larval survival for <br />all species. In contrast, 1996 was the best year for both YOY Colorado pikeminnow and NNC <br />19 <br />