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Information on entrainment of larval fish in the raceway, irrigation canals, and power- <br />generation facilities is also quite limited. Data collected in 1996 (Utah Division of Wildlife <br />Resources, unpublished) showed that larvae of speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus), unidentified <br />suckers (Catostomus spp.), red shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis), and channel catfish (Ictalurus <br />punctatus) were entrained in the canal system. The same species assemblage was captured in the <br />Green River during the same time period. <br />Objectives <br />Since Tusher Wash Diversion Dam spans the entire width of the Green River and the <br />raceway diverts a significant portion of the river, it was hypothesized that these structures were <br />limiting the movement and survival of larval and juvenile native fish. However, given the sparse <br />data that were available, it was not possible to determine what impact these structures were <br />having on the native fish community. Therefore, this study was designed to collect more data on <br />the impacts of the diversion dam and its associated features. This information was needed to <br />make decisions as to whether the diversion system needed any modifications to protect native <br />fish species. The objectives of this research were: <br />1. To determine if Tusher Wash Diversion Dam prevents upstream movement of <br />subadult native fishes (particularly during low-flow periods). <br />2. To determine if the raceway or Green River Canal entrains native fish, and <br />3. To determine if Tusher Wash Diversion Dam needs to be modified to better <br />accommodate native fishes. <br />The study was designed to include two years of field research. However, the Recovery <br />Implementation Program decided not to fund the second year of field work. Unfortunately, <br />during the year of the study, flows observed during the low-flow period were approximately <br />twice as high as normal (Figure 3); therefore, objectives 1 and 3 were not fully addressed. In <br />addition, the total catch of Colorado pikeminnow larvae in drift nets was much lower than the <br />catch noted during past years, so conclusions drawn from work designed to address Objective 2 <br />were also limited. <br />METHODS <br />Evaluation of Fish Entrainment in the Green River Canal <br />Larval Entrainment <br />Fine-mesh drift nets (12" X 18") were set from May 5 through May 26, 1998, and from <br />June 29 through August 22, 1998. The first period was selected to target razorback sucker <br />larvae, while the second period was selected to target Colorado pikeminnow larvae. Water <br />temperature in the Green River was monitored during these periods with an electronic <br />thermograph (Onset Computer Corporation). Two nets were set in the Green River and two nets <br />were set in the Green River Canal (Figure 2) during the month of May. An additional net was set <br />2 <br />