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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Squawfish were also found, although less commonly, in ~es and <br />backwaters. 9ften, when fish were located in these habitats, they were <br />eXhibi ting localized movement wi thin the confines .QL the 9abitat t~, <br />suggesting a foraging behavior. Du~ing periods of lower flows, more backwater <br />habi tat became available and correspondingly more sQUawfish were found in <br />backwaters. It was interestrng to contrast this obserVation on the G,reen River <br />with a situation on the Yampa River, where flows were generally consistent <br />throughout the winter. One squawfish (Carlin tag # 6115), occupied a large <br />backwater on the Yampa River (RM 0.6) from December through mid March. Its <br />eventual movement out of the backwater coincided with slowly rising water <br />levels in the Yampa in late March. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />A considerable degree of diversity existed within each habitat type with <br />respect to physical factors, such as depth, velocity, substrate and cover. <br />Although, differences in combinations of these factors were often difficult to <br />perceive from the surface of the water, the consistency of certain behavior or <br />movements by the fish lends itself to interpretation. Also, this diversity was <br />often confirmed by measurements of depth and velocity. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Razorback Sucker. Approximately 267 hours were spent observing eight <br />radiotagged razorback suckers. The fish were found utilizing only two basic <br />habitat types, including ~and eddies, Between the two habitat types, they <br />were found in runs approximately 56% of the time and in eddies 44% of the time. <br />~ --- -- <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Razorback suckers were found most often in laminar run or eddy type <br />habi tats. The runs they frequented were generally near. shorelines, where <br />velocities were ~ and substrate usually consisted of silt. Razorbacks also <br />showed an affinity for cobble or rubble substrates, and were observed over this <br />relatively large-diameter material approximately 23% of the time. This species <br />appears to be utilizing the microhabitat provlded by the cobble near the <br />bottom. Several times, razorbacks were observed in relatively deep runs (up to <br />3 m deep) within the thalweg, slowly moving up or down the channel, apparently <br />feeding on material growing on these cobble substrates. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Habi tat SUi tabili ty Index Curves <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Colorado squawfish. The results of comparisons between 2-hour and 24-hour <br />monitoring are shown in Table A-l of the Appendix. The distributions of depth C.o~~J.~ <br />and velocity were not significantly different for nose measurements. substrate,1' "',,,5 <br />types, however, were significantly different, possibly reflecting observer bias) ~ <br />in classification. Measurements taken one meter in and out from the fish <br />showed similar patterns for the 2-hourj24-hour comparison except that deptht <br />distributions differed significantly for the measurements taken one meter in. ~ <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Comparisons of habitat measurements taken at the fish (nose) versus one <br />meter ei ther side (in, out) are shown in Table A-2 of the Appendix. <br />Distributions of depth and velocity were not significantly different for any o~ ft"""ef <br />the comparisons, while all differences in substrate were highly significant.) \V\ ~"\t <br />While not significantly different in distribution, mean depth increased from \~ <br />the measurements closest to shore (in) to those furthest from shore (out) as <br /> <br />20 <br /> <br />. <br />