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Last modified
7/14/2009 5:02:33 PM
Creation date
5/24/2009 7:13:33 AM
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UCREFRP
UCREFRP Catalog Number
8176
Author
Cavalli, P. A.
Title
Fish Community Investigations in the Lower Price River, 1996-1997.
USFW Year
1999.
USFW - Doc Type
Salt Lake City, Utah.
Copyright Material
NO
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species to the Price River. Therefore, this habitat is probably an important refuge for both <br />flannelmouth and bluehead suckers in the Green River basin. Few tagged suckers were <br />recaptured, so the extent of sucker movement from the Price River to the Green River is <br />unknown. Recapture information that was collected showed that most fish stayed within a <br />relatively small area, which is consistent with movement patterns shown by flannelmouth <br />suckers in the White River (Chart and Bergersen 1992). However, the low number of recaptures <br />could have been a result of movement out of the Price River. Such movement was documented <br />for 5 individuals. The Price River produces large numbers of young suckers, and some of these <br />fish do migrate, so it is possible that many of the suckers that are found in the Green River were <br />produced in the Price River. <br />Large numbers of flannelmouth suckers and moderate numbers of bluehead suckers were <br />collected throughout the lower Price River in both years of the study. All age classes of both <br />species were well represented, and catch rates were comparable to other tributaries in the upper <br />basin. This information suggests that high quality spawning, rearing, and adult habitat is <br />available to these species on an annual basis. These data also suggest that Price River populations <br />of these species are stable and self sustaining. These species were once abundant throughout the <br />Colorado River basin, but their distribution has been reduced, and their numbers are still <br />declining in many areas (Yvette Converse, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, unpublished <br />survey of aquatic biologists working in the Colorado River basin, 1997). If these declines <br />continue, the fish in the Price River and other tributary streams could be important for future <br />conservation efforts. <br />One alarming finding was the absence of roundtail chub, and the extremely low numbers <br />of speckled dace. In addition, no razorback suckers were captured during this study. Razorback <br />sucker was historically abundant in other portions of the Upper Colorado River Basin, but its <br />numbers are now quite low throughout its former range. Therefore, collection of razorback <br />sucker from the Price River was not expected. However, roundtail chub and speckled dace are <br />still fairly common in other parts of the upper basin, and both species were common or abundant <br />in the Price River only 20 years ago (Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, unpublished data). <br />The reason(s) for the elimination of roundtail chubs and the reduction in numbers of <br />speckled dace in the Price River is not clear; existing habitat and water quality seem to be <br />adequate to support both species. However, three possible explanations for these changes are <br />suggested. First, the gauge at Woodside recorded extremely low flows from June through <br />September in both 1977 and 1993. These periods of low flows may have caused water <br />temperatures to increase or dissolved oxygen concentrations to decrease to levels that are lethal <br />to some native fish species. Another possible reason for the decline is the chemical treatment of <br />Scofield Reservoir which occurred in the fall of 1977. This reservoir in the Price River drainage <br />was treated with 1.05 ppm rotenone to remove carp, redside shiners, and Utah chubs (Utah <br />Division of Wildlife Resources, unpublished data). Potassium permanganate was applied below <br />the reservoir to detoxify the rotenone, but problems arose which resulted in rotenone not being <br />detoxified for several hours {Mike Milburn, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, personal <br />communication). Unfortunately, the effects of this event on native fish were not documented. <br />Finally, several pollution-caused fish kills have occurred in the Price River within the last 20 <br />years (Randy Radant, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, personal communication). <br />Regardless of the cause of the elimination of roundtail chubs from the Price River, it is <br />not surprising that they have not recolonized the lower portion of the river, because this species <br />15 <br />
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