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other species, so intensive sampling with these gear types could also produce larval Colorado <br />pikeminnow, if they inhabit this river. <br />Electrofishing samples and radio telemetry data should be collected during the winter in <br />an attempt to determine whether any Colorado pikeminnow inhabit the Price River throughout <br />the year or return to the Price River on an annual basis. Radio contact from one Colorado <br />pikeminnow in the fall of 1996 and the spring of 1997 suggests that this fish spent the entire year <br />in the Price River; another possibility is that this fish returned to the Price River after spending <br />the winter in the Green River. Documentation of the period and frequency of use of the Price <br />River is necessary in order to more fully understand the importance of the Price River to the <br />Green River Colorado pikeminnow metapopulation. <br />The section of river between Grassy Trail Creek and the Mounds Bridge (river mile 78.5) <br />should be sampled with electrofishing gear to determine the extent to which it is used by <br />Colorado pikeminnow and other native species. Several Colorado pikeminnow were found in the <br />Price River near the confluence with Grassy Trail Creek, and two Colorado pikeminnow were <br />captured above this area. However, no samples were collected between these two points. <br />Habitat in this section of river appears to be similar to that found below Grassy Trail Creek, with <br />one exception: there seems to be a greater abundance of pool habitat above Grassy Trail Creek <br />than in the area below it. This pool habitat is probably important to native fishes during low- <br />flow periods, but documentation of use by native species is still needed. <br />The habitat above Farnham Diversion and its associated fish community should be <br />evaluated in order to determine whether or not a fish ladder should be installed at this location. <br />Several miles of habitat that maybe suitable for Colorado pikeminnow and other native fishes <br />exists above this diversion dam. Farnham Diversion, located at river mile 88.5, is a barrier to <br />upstream movement for all fish, so it is unlikely that Colorado pikeminnow exist above this <br />point. This diversion is quite high, and water spilling over it splashes onto a concrete pad, so fish <br />moving downstream could potentially be killed if they move over the barrier. Another irrigation <br />diversion, located at river mile 42, should be monitored annually. This diversion, in its current <br />configuration, seems to allow fish passage. However, the owner of this diversion made <br />improvements to it in 1996 and 1997. Further enhancement of this diversion could cause it to <br />become an obstruction to fish passage. <br />Mitigation measures are needed for current and proposed projects that may reduce the <br />discharge of the Price River. Habitat for all fish species could be lost if flows are reduced, and <br />non-native species may benefit if spring peak flows are reduced. In consideration of these <br />potential losses of water, acquisition of water for an instream flow will probably be necessary in <br />order to protect native-fish habitat that currently exists in the lower Price River. <br />Finally, a reintroduction program for roundtail chub should be developed and <br />implemented in the Price River. This species was abundant in the Price River, but it has been <br />eliminated during the past century. The cause of their elimination from this river is unknown, <br />but current habitat conditions seem to be adequate to support them. Stocking of adult fish <br />equipped with radio transmitters would allow researchers to determine short term success of <br />stocking efforts, but monitoring in following years would be required in order to determine if <br />successful reproduction and recruitment of this species is occurring. Monitoring efforts should <br />be conducted in conjunction with monitoring of Colorado pikeminnow, flannelmouth sucker, <br />bluehead sucker, and speckled dace populations. In this manner, the effects of future habitat <br />17 <br />