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have several components. Habitat types need to be defined by characteristics, such as <br />depth, velocity and substrate. Habitat quality, which we define as the ratio of a habitat <br />used to the total usable habitat, for a species of interest needs to be determined. And then <br />the availability of quality habitats needs to be measured and quantified as a function of <br />flow. As flow declines, quality habitat may also decline and eventually become lost or <br />dispersed. When conditions do not allow large fish to move across shallow riffles they <br />become isolated in whatever habitats remain. The rate of habitat lost or habitat isolation <br />due to flow reductions (flow/habitat relationship) can be accurately predicted using <br />hydraulic simulation models. However, the relationship between habitat availability and <br />fish survivability is much more difficult to predict precisely because of variations in local <br />channel morphology, stream productivity, and an individual fishes' ability to adapt to <br />adverse flow conditions. Therefore interpretation and conclusions concerning impacts of <br />habitat loss or habitat isolation are dependent on familiarity with and knowledge of the <br />quality and quantity of information on life history and habitat needs not only of a species, <br />but of the aquatic community. <br />In riverine ecosystems there are several relationships between the physical habitat <br />and the biotic community. Peak flow forms and maintains channel morphology, which is <br />strongly associated with quality and quantity of aquatic habitats during the base flow <br />period. Since many characteristics of the aquatic community are a function of habitat <br />availability, and alterations in habitat typically result in a biological response. Therefore <br />by measuring certain characteristics of the channel, their habitat controlling properties <br />can be determined <br />The goal of this study is to determine habitat availability at various low flow <br />scenarios and habitat use patterns of endangered fishes in the Yampa River during the <br />