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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 4-4 4.1 Hatchery Site Evaluations 4.1.1 Willow Beach NFH Located on Lake Mohave, Arizona, 11 miles below Hoover Dam, this federal hatchery is primarily a trout production facility. It was the first hatchery to rear endangered Colorado River fishes in 1973. Water is pumped from Lake Mohave at 54-56 of, with a high incidence of diseases (Ich, tapeworms, and or worms) that requi res prophyl actic treatments and woul d necessitate biofilters if this became a major facility. Old wells at the facility indicate the presence of a geothermal source, but new wells would have to be drilled to ascertain the suitability of this water. Maximum production of 2-3 inch endangered fishes is about 100,000 per year, far below the 500,000 annual production figure presented by Valentine (l983). Land availability, limited by steep canyon walls, restricts expansion and development of rearing ponds. Fish distribution to Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) release sites is about 16 hours drive and over 500 miles; a trip that would be stressful to fish and drivers. Willow Beach NFH currently has trout producti on commi tments that mi ght interfere wi th maximum production of endangered fishes. 4.l.2 Dexter NFH Located in southeastern New Mexico in the Pecos River drainage, this federal hatchery is now the principal facility for endangered Colorado River fi shes. It has 39 earthen ponds, each 0.1 to 1.8 surface acres with a water source of three wells with 900 to 1800 acre-feet (830 gpm). The hatchery also has water rights to 196 gpm from a free-flowing artesian well. Dexter NFH currently holds or cul tures 15 species of rare and endangered fishes including Colorado squawfish, humpback chub, bony tail , razorback sucker. Current hatchery commitments tie up 50% of its facilities with the remainder used to maintain adults and future brood stocks. Land is available for expansion (20 more I-acre ponds are needed to raise 500,000 fi ngerl ings), but water ri ghts and porous soi 1 for reari ng ponds restri ct available water. Dexter NFH is far from the UCRB release sites; l6 hours drive over 500 miles. 4.1.3 Hotchkiss NFH Thi s federal hatchery is located in west central Colorado on the North Fork of Gunnison River, 70 miles southeast of Grand Junction. Hotchkiss NFH was once consi dered a prime si te for endangered fi sh producti on until a large land slide destroyed most of the Chipeta unit, including two earthen ponds containing 60,000 YOY Colorado squawfish and 800 juvenile humpback chub. Al though water qual ity is excell ent, cool temperatures are below optimum for endangered fish production and for plankton blooms needed in the fry diet. Instability of the land area, current trout production cORlllitments, and limited available land make this a less than desirable site, although existing units could rear as many as lOO,OOO fingerlings per year.