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<br />--4 <br />r-'~ <br />00 <br />,~ <br />C) <br />CJ <br /> <br />tagged Colorado pikeminnow in the San Juan River near Fannington, New Mexico. The third study <br />reviewed water quality infonnation and addressed Objective 5 of the 7- year research plan. While this <br />review lasted only 1 year, studies of water quality and contaminants became a much larger part of the <br />SJRlP in 1994, when several studies were initiated. <br /> <br />The USFWS (Albuquerque) investigated environmental contaminants in river biota. The study lasted 2 <br />years and covered the entire study area. The National Biological Survey (now the U.S. Geological Survey, <br />Biological Resources Division [USGS- BRD]) was contracted to conduct hazard assessment studies of the <br />toxicity of irrigation return waters to larval endangered and native fishes. This study lasted 2 years. The <br />BLM, which had joined the SJRlP because of a Consultation on oil and gas leasing in the San Juan Basin, <br />investigated oil and gas contamination, including potential sources and routes to the river. This study <br />continued through the remainder of the 7-year research period. <br /> <br />In 1994, experimental stocking of razorback sucker was initiated by the USFWS (Grand Junction) to <br />detennine habitat needs (Objective 4). This was the first research study to address Objective 7, testing <br />management options, because it used hatchery-reared fish and tested razorback sucker stocking. The <br />study was initiated because no wild razorback sucker was found in the river during adult monitoring studies. <br /> <br />Another component of the physical and hydrological studies being conducted by Keller-Bliesner <br />Engineering was added in 1994. This study of habitat quality in mainstream riffles and nms throughout the <br />study area addressed Objective 2 and provided a comparison of productivity between various portions of <br />the San Juan River, as well as a comparison with similar habitats in the Colorado River. <br /> <br />Thus, by 1994, major studies addressing all of the original objectives of the 7-year research plan were <br />implemented. Study designs continued to evolve during this period, and substudies within core studies were <br />added. For example, studies of fish movement in and out of secondary channels were added to the <br />nonnative fishes study in 1994; the evaluation of fish movement around water diversion dams between <br />Fannington, New Mexico, and the Hogback Diversion, part of the adult monitoring study, was expanded <br />in 1996. <br /> <br />In 1995, the major research activity added to the SJRlP was mechanical removal of all nonnative fishes, <br />which was part of the nonnative fishes interactions study conducted by the USFWS (Albuquerque). This <br />study resulted in collectors removing all channel catfish, common carp, and other nonnative fishes that were <br />collected during the various studies from the river, rather than returning them to the river along with the <br />native fishes. In addition, a study of backwater habitat quality and productivity was added to the BIA <br />studies conducted by Keller-Bliesner Engineering. A variety of physical and biological parameters were <br />measured in backwaters throughout the study area and compared with information from the Green and <br />Colorado rivers. <br /> <br />September 2000 <br /> <br />2-10 <br /> <br />Program Evaluation Report <br />