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

Objective 3.-Monitor the relative abundance and population structure of endangered
and other fishes to acquire information on interactions among fishes and on how flows
may differentially affect selected fish species.
Objective 4.-Detert~ine how releases from FGD and flows from tributaries affect
formation and maintenance of important habitats for endangered and other native fishes
throughout the Green River.
End Product.-Refined, biologically based seasonal flow and temperature
recommendations far FGD that would enhance and recover existing populations of
endangered fishes and provide recovery recommendations for those species that are
extirpated or in severe jeopardy of being extirpated from the Green River ecosystem.
IV. Description of Past Performance on This or Similar Projects:
The Service and Reclamation cooperated in the research leading up the 1992 Biological
Opinion on Flaming Gorge Dam. That effort involved extensive research and
compilation ofa diverse information which culminated in a biological opinion which was
justifiable and accepted. Based on findings incorporated in the first Biological Opinion
the principal investigators designed a research program to refine the flow
recommendations of the original opinion. This program, background, hypotheses, study
methods and budget is laid out in the attached document.
V. Study Area:
The study area (Figure 1 of document Section 2) includes the lower Yampa River, the
tower 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 DesolationlGrays 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.
VI. Study Methods/Approach:
Program approach including overall goals and objectives and null hypotheses are
contained in Section 2 of this document (Five Year Flaming Gorge Research Program).
Individual Scopes of Work wi#h more detailed methods sections for specific studies can
be found in Section 3 of the package.
VI. Task Description (FY-1995)
Eleven studies are proposed in the 1995 Scope-of-Work for the Five Year Flaming
Gorge Research Program. Studies 32 thru 35 are part of the Core-Research Studies
component, studies 36 thru 41 are Hypotheses-Testing Studies. The final scope of work
4