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degrees; these diurnal changes were constant among stations. By subtracting the <br />Green River temperature above the confluence from the Yampa River temperature, <br />we found that the maximum temperature differential was about 6 to 7 C during the <br />time that fish larvae were entering the Green. That difference was still 4 - 5 <br />C at the site of the downstream recorder. <br />The river conditions in 1984 would not have caused cold shock deaths. If <br />conditions in other years change so that the temperature differences increases <br />another 3 or 4 degrees, then the shock could cause behavioral changes that might <br />lead to increased mortality from other secondary causes. We are continuing to <br />analyze river temperature data from other years which show greater temperature <br />differences between the two rivers than were found in 1984 (Miller et at. 1984). <br />Miller et al. (1984) stated that: <br />"Records provided by the Bureau of Reclamation and our collections <br />indicated that in 1979, 1-980, and 1981, the temperature differences between <br />the Yampa and Green River,-before mixing at Echo Park in August, were: 0 C <br />(8-9-79), 1.5 C (8-8-80), and 1.5 C (8-5-81), respectively. -These were <br />years when relative abundance of Colorado squawfish in the Green River was <br />high. On August 4, 1983, however, a temperature differential of 10 C (16.2 <br />F) was recorded at this location. Figure 14 provides temperature records <br />for Flaming Gorge from 1979-83, and it can be seen that the temperature in <br />1983, apparently a very poor year for YOY Colorado squawfish, was also the <br />lowest released in July and August from 1979 to 83." <br />To predict temperature changes that might cause.direct mortality, a <br />w <br />nomograph published by Coutant in 1977 can be used (Figure 6). Note that our 15 <br />C average mortality, where about 40% of our fish died, is in the "lethal" <br />portion of the graph, while our 10 C average is comfortably on the safe side. <br />a226PrR.crb Page 5