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This paper reports 3 years and 5 months of research on the White and <br />Yampa Rivers. We have attempted to summarize all project work except that <br />which has or will be presented in theses. Progress reports have been prepared <br />twice each year (in June and January) since preparation of our initial pro- <br />gress report in December 1975. Copies of these reports, which contain some <br />details not presented here, are available from the senior author. In some <br />instances, this report corrects or refines information in the progress re- <br />ports. We have chosen to avoid constant reference to these documents in <br />preparation of this final report. <br />INTRODUCTION <br />Robert Rush Miller (1946) called for ichthyological surveys of <br />major rivers, of western North America, including those in the Colorado River <br />Basin. He cited an urgent need for such surveys ". because of changes <br />caused by: (1) effects of dams and diversions, water-power development, <br />water storage, and irrigation practices; (2) pollution from mining operations; <br />. . and (4) introduction of exotic species." For many tributaries of the <br />upper. Colorado River, the need for complete and rigorous surveys for the same <br />reasons is as real today as in 1946. Cranford and Peterson (1974) considered <br />the Colorado River to be the most utilized, controlled and disputed river in <br />the world. Bishop and Porcella (1976) characterized the Colorado River as <br />"highly developed and totally regulated." They further stated that "In viewing <br />any future energy development in the basin, certainly a major effort is needed <br />in understanding the effects of land and water use for energy development on <br />quality and quantity of river flow, and the life-sustaining requirements of <br />animal species." <br />2 <br />