7339

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7339
• Author: Valdez, R. A.
• Title: A Review of the Hatchery Program for Threatened and Endangered Fishes of the Colorado River.
• USFW Year: 1985.
• USFW - Doc Type: Logan, Utah.
• Copyright Material: NO

I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I

4-6

4.1.7 Smithfield Well

This undeveloped site is on private land 1 mile east of Smithfield,
Utah, near Logan. A 1400-foot deep well is located on the property with a
reported flow of 6 cfs at 620F at the time of drilling. The well now flows
at 0.6 cfs and 820F. The land is level with clay soil that appears to be
good for pond construction. Utah DWR has interest in this site as a warm
water hatchery under a possible cooperative agreement with FWS for rare fish
production.

4.1.8 Big Spring

This site is near the Uinta River on the Ute Indian Reservation in
northeast Utah, about 10 miles north of Neola. Big Spring has a discharge
of 6 cfs into several fished-out cP.onds operated by Ute tribe for stocked
trout. A water temperature of 44 F appears to be much too col d for rare
fish production.

4.1.9 Rifle Falls SFH

This State Fish Hatchery is fed by large springs 15 miles north of
Rifle, Colorado. This facility was to become a Colorado squawfish rearing
station until 1979 when the Colorado State Legislature ruled against it. It
is primarily a trout production facility with a hatch house, raceways,
administration building, and several residences. It is a good location, and
additional data are needed on the suitability of its water temperatures.

4.1.10 Page Springs SFH

Located in north-central Arizona about 12 miles south of Sedona, this
state hatchery has received and held rare fi shes (razorback suckers and
Colorado squawfish) from Dexter NFH since 1982. This facility functions
primarily as a warm-water hatchery for sport fishes. Small numbers of
Colorado squawfi sh and humpback chub have been hel d as a gene pool for the
Dexter NFH, and about 80,000 razorback sucker fry were reared to small
fingerlings in 1984 and released in the wild in the lower basin (R.
Sorenson, personal communication via telephone, Phoenix, Arizona, February
27, 1985). Page Springs SFH receives its water from two Artesian wells at
rates of 8 and 24 cfs and a temperature of 680F. This hatchery has 10 one-
acre earthen ponds in which it rears the razorback suckers. Valentine (1983)
eliminated this site from consideration in his feasibility study of
endangered fish hatcheries.

4.l.11 Browns Park NWR

This National Wildlife Refuge is located on the Green River, 16 miles
below the Utah state line in Colorado. There are no hatchery facilities on
the site at this time. Facilities consist of the refuge headquarters, and
there is access to water from the Green River below Flaming Gorge. The
absence of any hatchery facilities and the presence of the cool water
releases from Flaming Gorge greatly reduced the desirability of this site.