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T The extensive background of the biologists working in the UCRB provides the experience needed to identify the appropriate sampling gear for each life stage, and design a sampling scheme that will allow effective monitoring by season (using water temperature and streamflows as a guide of when to sample) and by reach of river (i.e., reaches that have been identified as critical for certain life stages). The monitoring effort should be designed so that comparable information is obtained on all four rare fish (with the possible exception of the bonytail chub) as well as other species including common endemic fish (i.e., roundtail chub and flannelmouth suckers) and fish that have been introduced into the upper basin (e.g., red shiner, northern pike, etc.). This design will allow comparisons and correlations to be made between relative abundance of fish with environmental conditions. The design of the monitoring program should be made on environmental conditions rather than by date. For example, spawning, availability of larvae, etc. depends upon water temperature that is correlated with streamflow rather than by date. It may be necessary to begin before and end after the target environmental conditions to be certain that the needed information is obtained. However, the data should be analyzed by appropriate environmental conditions between years of high flow and lower water temperatures and years of low flow that are accompanied by warmer temperatures. A standard monitoring program should be;developed by the Biological Subcommittee with input from the field biologists that will provide maximum information for the least effort and cost. It should include the collection of standard habitat information needed for refining habitat utilization curves for various species by life stage. V. RECOINENDATON FOR FUTURE BIOLOGICAL STUDIES The work outlined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for UCRB endangered species activities during FY 1986 (Instream Flow Work, Endangered Fish Monitoring, Recovery Activities, and Other Activities) is appropriate for the proposed budget. However, I believe that the fish passage study that is outlined under Recovery Activities should be done systematically so that it has the maximum chance for success. See the recommendation for study of fish passage facilities below. Although numerous recommendations have been made by various investigators for future studies on the rare UCRB fish, these studies have not been fully analyzed in relation to costs (i.e., resources) and benefits (i.e., needed information). However, the Biological Subcommittee is presently making such an analysis and is responsible for providing recommendations for future studies to the UCRB Coordinating Committee. The study topics should be given a priority so that the most important work is emphasized and this ranking should be reviewed and updated annually. Suggested topics of study must be screened carefully so that emphasis is placed on those studies that will provide information that is directly applicable to Section 7 consultation as required by the Endangered Species Act and the 6