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<br />,~' 4 4 \^'ycJOS k-i + Hami II <br />, . r ' Iq8g <br /> <br />013 S"G <br />--- <br /> <br /> <br />t[;i\1~':'j <br /> <br />CHAPTER 8 <br /> <br />Evolution of a Cooperative Recovery Program <br /> <br />for Endangered Fishes in the Upper Colorado Riv~r Basin <br /> <br />Richard S~ Wydoski and John F. Hamill <br /> <br />Introduction <br /> <br />The Colorado River originates in clear, cold streams of the Rocky, Uinta, <br />and Wind River mountains of western United States to flow throygb high <br />deserts and carve spectacular canyons by erosion of soft sandstones and other <br /> <br />rocks. Historically, the rive.r and its larger tributaries were warm and <br />turbid in summer, characterized by large changes in water volumes and <br /> <br />ve1ocities. Several unique fishes evolved in this distinctive riverine <br /> <br />environment, where 74% of the native fish fauna was endemic (Miller 1959). <br />Three of the endemic, large-river fishes, the Colorado squawfish <br /> <br />(Ptvchocheilus lucius), humpback chub (Gila ~), and bony tail (~. <br /> <br />eleqans), are federally listed as endangered. A fourth, the razorback sucker <br />(Xvrauchen texanus), has been proposed for listing as endangered by the U.S. <br />Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). These four species are collectively <br /> <br />referred as the endangered Colorado River fishes, and the present paper <br />descr1bes and discusses the evolution of a program toward their recovery in <br />the upper Colorado River basin (hereafter referred to as the "upper basin"). <br /> <br />We thank many persons who reviewed and provided suggestions for improvement <br />of the manuscript, especially J. Bennett, L. Kaeding, W. Miller, H. Tyus, and <br /> <br />M. Zallen. <br />