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upon physical habitat (depth, velocity, substrate and cover) of altered <br />flow regimes are determined using the PHABSIM system. • <br />In this system, depth, velocity, substrate and cover at stream <br />study sites characterized by multiple transects are predicted using <br />hydraulic simulation techniques. Values for these parameters are com- <br />pared with habitat suitability curves for each species in question, <br />to obtain relative preferences or weighting factors. The product of the <br />weighting factors is applied to the surface area of the study reach to <br />obtain a Weighted Usable Area (WUA) for the given species at the modeled <br />flow level. <br />WUA is an approximation of the relative usability of the stream <br />reach; in some cases (notably for certain salmonids) it correlates well <br />with the actual adult biomass. In most cases, changes in WUA should be <br />thought of as an indicator of the amount of preferred physical habitat <br />combinations, and as such a guideline for evaluation of various flow <br />levels or regimes. <br />The specific regimes to be analyzed for this report were to depict <br />present and past flow regimes and resulted in: <br />1. WUA for flows during some past period (before measurable <br />depletions) to be known as "natural" flows: <br />2. WUA for a time period under present depletion levels, to be <br />known as "present" flow levels, and • <br />3. WUA for actual measured flows for the period between 1960 <br />and 1980 (to be known as "actual" flow levels). <br />Each of the analyses were to be of mean monthly flows. The "present" <br />and natural flows were to be simulated using the Bureau of Reclamation <br />Colorado River Simulation System (CRSS) model. <br />Instream Water Temperature Model <br />Because water temperature changes in the Green and Colorado Rivers <br />were considered significant factors in the decline of the endangered fish <br />species, a model was developed to determine effects of altered flow and <br />reservoir release temperatures upon water temperatures throughout the <br />Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB). The desired capabilities were to 1) <br />determine steady-state basin-wide temperature patterns which might result <br />from various monthly flow levels; 2) determine site specific temperature <br />regimes resulting from predicted flow regimes and 3) determine expected <br />monthly maximum temperatures at various observation points. <br />The original Statement of Work specified use of the temperature <br />component of the SSAM IV water-quality model developed jointly at the IFG <br />and Utah State University. As discussed later, this model served as a <br />basis for development of a temperature model which allowed accounting for <br />several data deficiencies unique to the UCRB. Specifically, these were • <br />1) scarcity of meterologic monitoring stations; 2) extensive shading due <br />2