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<br />Adult and iuvenile fish collections <br />A total of 308 adult and juvenile fish were collected during five sampling <br />trips (Table 2). These fish represented nine species and one suspected <br />hybrid. The dominant species collected were roundtail chub (53%), <br />flannelmouth sucker Catostomus latipinnis, (20%), common carp Cyprinus carpio, <br />(11X), and channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus, (9%). Also collected were one <br />Colorado squawfish, seven humpback chub, and two suspected humpback and <br />roundtail chub hybrids. The Colorado squawfish (yellow Carlin tag # 1029) was <br />a radiotagged fish that was captured to check sexual condition. Total length <br />of this fish was 824 mm and no tuberculation or sexual products were evident. <br />The humpback chub ranged from 216 to 320 mm total length. Two humpback chub <br />collected on June 8 were tuberculated; their sizes were 219 and 310 mm total <br />length. <br />Larval fish collections <br />Larval fish were collected on June 28, 1988 to look for evidence of <br />Colorado squawfish reproduction in the lower Little Snake River. Five <br />collections were made in the lower eight miles. Five species were represented <br />in the 1260 larvae (10-30 mm-total length) collected (Table 3). Flannelmouth <br />sucker made up 82% of larvae collected while bluehead sucker Catostomus. <br />discobolus comprised 17%. Other species collected included sand shiner, <br />speckled dace and roundtail chub. <br />Discharge measurements <br />Discharge was measured during baseflow conditions in July and September <br />1988 (Table 4). On July 27, we measured 10.6 cfs discharge at the USGS gaging <br />station near MCR 10 bridge between 1640 and 1700 hours and 9.8 cfs at RMI 4.5 <br />below the canyon. The USGS gaging station average discharge for that day was <br />3.8 cfs. On September 29, we measured 10.9 cfs at the gaging station while <br />the USGS station reported 9.9 cfs. At the lower site (RMI 4.5) we measured <br />8.3 cfs. <br />Habitat changes with varying discharge <br />During the high discharge of spring run-off, wide, low gradient reaches <br />of the river tend to remain homogeneous. Eddys are often formed during this <br />water level, providing habitat diversity for fish use. The river tends to be <br />silt laden and is warmed from flowing over shallow sandy areas. Within the <br />higher gradient of the canyon (RMI 8.0-6.0) deep, turbulent eddys are formed. <br />along canyon walls and behind large boulders. High flows through this <br />constricted canyon tend to cut deep pools necessary for fish survival during <br />low water periods. <br />During low discharge, baseflow periods, the wide, low gradient reaches <br />become almost unusable by most fish. The river tends to braid through the <br />sandy substrate, forming small, shallow channels impassable by most fish. <br />Residual pools are few, often scattered, and usually very shallow. The water <br />is usually very clear during baseflow. Within the canyon (RMI 8.0-6.0) pools <br />tend to be deeper and more common. We noted one pool (RMI 7.4) that was over <br />10 ft deep when most pools outside the canyon had maximum depths of 3 ft. <br />5