9705

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9705
• Author: Green River Study Plan ad hoc Committee.
• Title: Study plan for the implementation and evaluation of flow and temperature recommendations for endangered fishes in the Green River downstream of Flaming Gorge Dam.
• USFW Year: 2007.
• USFW - Doc Type: Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program
• Copyright Material: NO

GREEN RIVER STUDY PLAN

VI

February 2, 2007

EXECUTfVESU~Y

The 2005 Final Biological Opinion on the Operation of Flaming Gorge Dam identified
this Study Plan as one component of nondiscretionary terms and conditions associated with
Reasonable and Prudent Measures to avoid and minimize the impacts of incidental take of the
four listed Colorado River fishes: Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), humpback chub
(Gila cypha), razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), and bonytail (Gila elegans). This Study
Plan was developed by an ad hoc Committee, which included representatives from the Bureau of
Reclamation, Western Area Power Administration, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Development of the Study Plan was coordinated by the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish
Recovery Program (Recovery Program), and benefited greatly from input by members of the
Biology and Water Acquisition committees and principal investigators conducting studies in the
Green River Subbasin.

The purpose of this Study Plan is to identifY and recommend to the Recovery Program
those monitoring or research projects necessary for implementation and evaluation of flow and
temperature recommendations for endangered fishes in the Green River downstream of Flaming
Gorge Dam. Those projects include studies to evaluate the anticipated effects of implementing
the recommendations (including potential adverse effects identified in the 2005 Flaming Gorge
Dam Biological Assessment and Biological Opinion) and studies to examine recognized
uncertainties of the recommendations. Objectives of this Study Plan are to: (1) demonstrate how
results of Recovery Program studies evaluate the flow and temperature recomrrlendations;
(2) identifY deficiencies in monitoring or research, and prioritize and recommend to the
Recovery Program revised ongoing or new studies to fill important information needs;
(3) develop and recommend a timeline and approach for periodically assessing implementation
and evaluation of the flow and temperature recommendations; and (4) recommend to the
Recovery Program modifications to the Recovery Implementation Program Recovery Action
Plan (RIPRAP).

This Study Plan identifies 41 anticipated effects or uncertainties (hypotheses) associated
with implementation of the flow and temperature recommendations. Of the 41 identified
hypotheses, recently completed, ongoing, or pending Recovery Program studies are fully
addressing 20 and partially addressing 21. Thirty-four primary or supporting studies are related
to flow and temperature recommendations, including 27 Recovery Program studies and 7 studies
being conducted by Recovery Program partners or participants.

Eighteen hypotheses were considered of highest priority for evaluating the flow and
temperature recommendations. These were grouped into three resources categories:
(1) floodplain inundation for larval entrainment, rearing, and subsequent movement of subadult
razorback suckers into the mainstem in Reach 2, (2) backwater formation and maintenance for
the rearing of young Colorado pikeminnow, and (3) nonnative fish management in Reach I and
upper Reach 2. Existing studies were compared with needed information to determine if the
studies fully addressed those needs. Any necessary studies to fill those needs were then
identified. These studies were recommended to the Recovery Program for revisions to the
RIPRAP. For floodplains, recommended studies fall into three subject areas: (1) evaluation of
survival and recruitment, (2) entrainment rates, and (3) the timing of larval drift. For