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<br />CONCLUSIONS and RECOMMENDATIONS <br /> <br />· Large differences were found in habitat and species composition between Duffy on the Yampa <br />River and Com Lake in the IS-Mile Reach of the Colorado River. <br /> <br />· It is believed that the fishery is near the physical habitat carrying capacity in the IS-Mile Reach <br />and in the Dolores River, but predation is impacting density on the Yampa River. <br /> <br />· Large differences were found in species composition at Duffy between 2001 and the three prior <br />years. It was concluded that low nows of2000 and 2001 facilitated the large increase in <br />smallmm.ith bass observed in 2001. It would be interesting to monitor the three Yampa River <br />sites for the new few years and it was recommended that management take that responsibility <br />at the end of this project. <br /> <br />· The 2-D flow modeling clearly produces excellent habitat mapping results and is absolutely <br />necessary for this project to develop biologically justified instream flow recommendations for <br />the Yampa and Colorado Rivers. <br /> <br />· A contract to continue 2-D modeling was not approved in 2000 resulting in a one-year delay in <br />making instrean1 flow recorrimendations for the Colorado River and the Yampa. <br /> <br />. A new contract was finalIzed in November 2001. 2-D modeling results are due by June 20, <br />2002. <br /> <br />. Spatial analysis will be conducted in the 2002/2003 fiscal year. Habitat suitability indices will <br />be determined for the native species and used to model habitat availability versus flow. The <br />strength of the correlations between habitat and density will be used as biological justifications <br />for the flow recommendations. <br /> <br />. Ironically, at the time of this reporting (May 2002), the state is experiencing a very poor snow <br />pack and nmoff and stream flow conditions are forecast to be near record lows. Since this is an <br />instrearn flow study, it was be highly appropriate to sample fish during severe drought <br />conditions. However the opportunity to sample fish this fiscal year is limited and flow <br />recommendations will not be postponed. Efforts will be made to see if sampling can be <br />accomplished on the Yampa and the Colorado Rivers in the fall of2002. <br /> <br />. Radio telemetry work will be processed in 200212003. The telemetry work completed so far <br />provides valuable data on habitat use and movement of bluehead sucker, tlannelmouth sucker <br />and roundtail chub. <br /> <br />. It is recommended that the plinciple investigator become trained in hydrology principles and <br />computer processing aspects of2-0 modeling. Most of the delays and unexpected hassles have <br />been related to administering contracts. The trade off is that fish sampling fieldwork will have <br />to be sacrificed in order for the researcher to become proficient and perform the 2-D work <br />himself. <br /> <br />70 - 10 <br />