9393

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9393
• Author: Crist, L. and R. Williams.
• Title: Five Year Flaming Gorge Research Program FY 1995.
• USFW Year: 1994.
• USFW - Doc Type: 32-41, Fg-I,
• Copyright Material: NO

history of the other endan ered fishes increases, the Ion -term effort could. be
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modifiedlexpanded to include these species.
^ A critical issue is the need to establish links among reproduction, recruitment of
young fish, recruitment to adult stocks, status of populations, and how hydrologic
conditions affect life-history parameters.
^ Two important Colorado squawfish spawning areas have been identified in the Green
River system (i.e., lower Yampa Canyon and Desolation/Gray canyons). Representative
sampling in reaches downstream of each spawning area is needed to provide an
accurate assessment of annual reproduction and recruitment of young.
' ^ Sampling of adult Colorado squawfish immediately before and during spawning
should be minimized to reduce disturbance and sampling mortality. Sampling of all
endangered fishes needs to be coordinated to eliminate unnecessary duplication of
efforts and to minimize impacts on fish, particularly at spawning locations.

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^ Collection oflife-history, abundance (using marked or tagged fish), and other fishery
data on all fishes (including nonnatives) is important.
^ Research being conducted within the Flaming Gorge Program will be coordinated
with other research studies in the Recovery lmplementation Program such as the
Interagency Standardized Monitoring Program (ISMP), channel monitoring studies, and
hydrology support programs and with other research activities in the Green River funded
outside of the RIP.
The 5 years of research in the Green River System below FGD was intended to start
coincident with the planned release of the Biological Opinion in 1991. Initial research projects
were in place in 1991, however, the Biological Opinion-was not issued until 1992 because of
revisions from inclusion of new data. As a result, an initial year of research was conducted
without knowledge of the exact content of the Biological Opinion and without implementation
of the seasonal flow recommendations. It was determined by the Service and Reclamation that
a minimum of 5 years of study on the implemented flow recommendations presented in the
Biological Opinion were necessary to evaluate biological and physical responses of the system
to the mare natural hydrograph. Thus, the field investigation portion of the Fve year research
program presented in this document was initiated in Fiscal Year (FY) 1992 and will terminate
in FY 1996.
STUDY AREA.-The study area (Figure 1) includes the lower Yampa River, the lower 15 miles
of the Duchesne River, the Green River from FGD downstream to its confluence with the
Colorado River, and the Colorado River from its confluence with the Green River downstream
to the Lake Powell inflow area. Areas of particular interest, based on past research, include
Colorado squawfish spawning areas in the lower Yampa River and in Desolation/Grays
canyons on the Green River; razorback sucker spawning areas in the lower Yampa River and
the Green River above Jensen; Colorado squawfish nursery areas in the Green River near
Ouray-Jensen and below the town of Green River; and the reach within Desolation/Grays
canyons due to the presence of humpback chub.
Flaming Gorge Research Program 5