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complex-channel segments (Osmundson and Kaeding 1990). The complex segments <br />provide a greater diversity of habitats for Colorado squawfish to utilize for <br />feeding, resting, and other activities. High spring flows are important in <br />maintaining these aYeas. <br />High spring flows are also important to successful reproduction of <br />Colorado squawfish. McAda and Kaeding (1989) reported higher reproductive <br />success in the Colorado River during years of moderately high flow. The Fish <br />and Wildlife Service conducted fall surveys to determine relative abundance of <br />young-of-the-year (YOY) Colorado squawfish in the Colorado River from 1982 to <br />1985 (Archer et al. 1985). F~eginning in 1986, similar surveys were conducted <br />by the states of Utah and Co]orado as part of the Interagency Standardized <br />Monitoring Program (ISMP). ]:SMP divided the river into two reaches (1, RM 0- <br />110 and 2, RM 140-170), based on the known distribution of Colorado squawfish <br />(Archer et al. 1985). McAda and Kaeding (1989) used the FWS and ISMP data to <br />compare relative abundance off: YOY Colorado squawfish in fall with maximum- <br />annual discharge (mean-daily flow on the highest day) the previous spring <br />(Figure 8). They found a parabolic relation in reach 1--the highest relative <br />abundance of YOY Colorado squawfish occurred in 1985 and 1986 when spring <br />flows peaked at 32,800 and 38,200 cfs at the stateline gage (peak flows at <br />Cisco were 34,100 and 43,200 cfs). Relative abundance was lower in years that <br />had lower and substantially Higher peak discharges (Figure 8). McAda and <br />Kaeding (1989) found no clear relation in reach 2 for the years they studied, <br />but Osmundson and Kaeding (1~~90) showed a positive relation between relative <br />abundance of age-0 Colorado :>quawfish and maximum-annual discharge for about <br />the same reach during 1986 to 1989. It is not yet clear whether spring runoff <br />itself or another variable c:Losely related to spring runoff is responsible for <br />25 <br />