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3. Determine probable time of spawning of squawfish and humpback-chubs <br />and correlate with data on adult fishes developed by the Northwest <br />Region, Colorado Division of Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife <br />Service. <br />4. All collections will be made according to a computer-compatible <br />(FWS MANAGE), detailed physical stratification system which reflects <br />the geomorphological, hydrological, and ecological variables of the <br />drainages. <br />5. Study areas will include the lower Yampa River, Moffat County from <br />Cross Mountain Canyon to the Green River confluence in Dinosaur <br />National Monument and the Colorado River, Mesa County from Loma to <br />the state line. <br />6. Devise methods for the identification and differentiation of larval <br />and juvenile humpback chubs, roundtail chubs (G. robusta), bonytail <br />(G. elegans), and hybrids and/or intergrades. <br />7. Morphomeristic counts and measurements will be made on field-collected <br />chub larvae and juveniles from the 2 study areas for comparison <br />with known-age pure stock and hybrid crosses provided by Willow <br />Beach and Dexter National Fish hatcheries. <br />STUDY AREA AND METHODS <br />The Colorado and Yampa River study areas have been previously described <br />by Haynes and Muth (1982) and Haynes et al. (in press) as have been the <br />field and laboratory methods used. In 1982, in addition to methods <br />previously described, drift-net sampling for YOY fishes was conducted in <br />the Colorado River study area (stratum K) on 6 dates between 13 July and <br />26 August. Drift-net sampling was conducted in the Dinosaur National <br />Monument section of the Yampa River study area (strata 1 and 2) on 22-26 <br />August. The goals of this additional survey were to evaluate techniques <br />for sampling YOY fish in swift, deepwater habitats ineffectively sampled <br />by seines, to determine ichthyoplankton abundance and species composition, <br />and to evaluate drift as an agent of squawfish and/or humpback dispersal. <br />Most species occurring in the Colorado and Yampa study areas exhibit <br />peak spawning activity during early June through mid-August (Vanicek and <br />Kramer 1969, Carlson et al. 1979, Snyder 1981, Tyus et al. 1981, Haynes <br />and Muth 1982). Reports by Harrow et al. (1975), Gallagher and Conner <br />(1980), and Lathrop (1982) indicated that larval fish drifting densities <br />were greater along shoreline areas than mid-channel. This information was <br />used to design the present drift sampling program. <br />Near-shore surface drift net collections were made using 0.5-m2 diameter <br />conical plankton nets (Wildlife Supply Co., Saginaw, Michigan) mounted <br />on 0.5 x 0.3-m rectangular steel frames and fitted with 33-cm long removable <br />