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<br />. <br /> <br />DRAFT <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />ice cover. Radiotagged squawfish GR3422 (Figure 11) illustrates this point; <br />movement by this fish was to three favorite spots within a small area and <br />restricted habitat type. The three locations used by this 570-mm long fish <br />were 0.4, 1.2, and 0.3 feet deep; water depths that would not be expected to be <br />used by an adult during daylight hours. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />In contrast to the stable ice condition described above, two radiotagged <br />squawfish observed under unstable ice (Figure 12) changed position frequently <br />in response to movement of large ice masses. These fish were monitored during <br />all six tracking trips from December, 1987 through March, 1988 in the Rainbow <br />Park area. During the 8-hour period on January 7, 1988, in which flows <br />increased from 1500 to 4000 cfs, local movement by these fish was extensive in <br />an apparent effort to escape the large masses of ice moving through the entire <br />water column. Squawfish OR3235 was positioned at the upstream edge of the path <br />of ice flow and exhibited gross movement of only 48m and net movement of 10 m. <br />However, squawfish OR3236 was positioned further downstream in the path of the <br />ice flows, and exhibited gross movement of 145 m and net movement of 30 m. <br />Nearly every movement by these fish was in direct response to the arrival of a <br />large ice mass, visable on the surface and audible as loud popping and cracking <br />sounds beneath the ice occupied by the two fish. In late January, squawfish <br />OR3236 twice moved downstream about 1 mile from this location and returned, <br />only to be found dead in mid-March in a shallow side channel, apparently from <br />predation by a raptor, i.e. bald eagle. Simultaneous observations of razorback <br />sucker OR3234, located 0.3 mile upstream, show the same movement response to <br />the ice flows. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />understanding the mechanism which created these unstable ice conditions is <br />important to this analysis of winter habitat needs of the two endange red <br />fishes. It is believed that thick heavy layers of ice first formed along <br />shorelines and shallow areas during low river flows. This ice was subsequently <br />dislodged and transported downstream by rising water levels. Movement of these <br />large ice masses through fish habitat forced the fish to move frequently and <br />expend unknown amounts of energy. The effect of this energy expenditure on <br />survival, growth, and reproductive potential is unknown. Also, the frequency <br />of this phenomenon at any point along the river is unknown, but it was observed <br />several times from early January through early February, 1988 and probably <br />occurred every time a low flow cycle was followed by high flow during a cold <br />period. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />6.1.4.2.2 Razorback Sucker <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Razorback OR3234 also moved extensively in response to the movement of ice <br />masses through the Rainbow Park area (Figure 13). Gross movement of this fish <br />during 8 hours was 246 m and net movement was 40 m. This fish moved to a total <br />of 20 locations, which extended across the entire river channel, during this <br />period of rising water level and ice transport. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />In contrast to the above condition, razorbacks OR3229 (Figure 14) and OR3226 <br />(Figure 15) exhibited little movement under stable ice. Each occupied only two <br />favori te spots in a pattern not unlike that of the fish in ice-free water. <br />However, unlike the squawfish under stable ice, all razorbacks observed <br /> <br />32 <br /> <br />. <br />