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s <br />Methods <br />Sampling of the river was stratified by river miles which were <br />~ designated on a base map (U.S.G.S. 7.5 minute quadrangle), with Piute <br />Farms, Utah designated river mile (RMI) zero and subsequent miles <br />numbered upstream (Figures 2 and 3). All data collected were <br />referenced to the nearest 0.1 RMI. The river was blocked into <br />five-mile reaches for standardized electrofishing and seining. The <br />5-mi reaches were numbered consecutively upstream and assigned Reach <br />~ Code numbers (e.g., RMI 0-5 = Reach Code 1, RMI 5-10 = Reach Code 2, <br />etc.). Sampling periods were established for: spring (March to <br />June); summer (June to September), and fall (September to December). <br /> Fishes were sampled by UDWR with 16 ft rigid-bottom electro- <br /> fishing boat or 18 ft raft outfitted for electrofishing, and seines. <br />~ The rigid-bottom boat was used from Four Corners to Sand Island (RMI <br /> 136-87) and the raft from Sand Island .downstream (RMI 87-16; Figures 2 <br /> and 3). Power for electrofishing was produced with a Honda EMS4500 <br /> generator (Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). Pulsed direct cur- <br /> rent was produced with a variable voltage pulsator (VVP-15, Coffelt <br /> Electronics Inc., .Englewood, Colorado). Electrofishing was performed <br />~ along shorelines, in backwaters and tributary mouths during spring and <br /> summer. Standardized electrofishing runs began at the most upstream <br />_ RMI (RMI 136.2) and progressed downstream along a single bank until <br /> RMI 16 was reached. During spring the right bank was electrofished, <br /> and during summer the left bank was electrofished. All fish stunned <br />_ in the first mile of each 5-mile segment were captured with dip nets, <br />~ enumerated and recorded by species for that river segment. Fish that <br /> were missed and could be identified to species were enumerated and <br /> recorded. Because of their abundance and relative ease of identifi- <br /> cation, carp stunned in the first mile were counted, and no attempt <br /> was made to net them. Catch rates (fish per mile, and fish per hour <br /> for summer data) were calculated only from standardized electrofishing <br />~ data. Only rare fishes were captured and numbers recorded in the re- <br /> maining 4 mi of each 5-mi segment, although numbers and species of <br /> nonnative predator fishes were recorded whenever observed. Rare fish <br /> longer that 200 mmTL were given unique numbered, blue Carlin tags. <br /> Where multiple channels or islands occurred, only one downstream pass <br /> was made through the most navigable-looking channel, and best-looking <br />~ habitat. Total electrofishing time (seconds}, as indicated on the UVP <br /> timer, was recorded for each 5-mi segment. Electrofishing operations <br /> were temporarily suspended when suitable shoreline or backwater habi- <br /> tats ( ~ 30 m2) were encountered for beach seining. After completion <br /> of the standardized electrofishing in spring and in summer, additional <br /> target electrofishing was completed. These efforts were directed <br />~ solely at collecting rare endemic Colorado River fishes. During <br /> additional target electrofishing, effort was made to work the areas <br /> that appeared most likely to be "Colorado squawfish habitat," or <br /> harbor other rare fishes. Electrofishing effort for each 5-mi reach <br /> was recorded. Catch rates were not calculated from additional target <br /> electrofishing data. <br /> <br />- 9 - <br />