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<br />COLORADO RIVER RECOVERY PROGRAM <br />FY97 ANNUAL REPORT <br /> <br />PROJECT NUMBER: 84-UDWR <br /> <br />I. Project Title: Duchesne River Biological Studies: Assessment and refinement of <br />instream flow needs <br /> <br />II. Principal Investigator: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources <br />Leo Lentsch. Tom Chart <br />1596 West North Telll1'le <br />Salt Lake City. UT 84116 <br />(801) 538-4756 <br />E-mail: nrdwr.llentsch@state.ut.us <br /> <br />) <br /> <br />Ill. Project Summary: <br />This annual report discusses elements of this study conducted by Utah Division of <br />Wildife Resources. This project is designed to provide biological and <br />physical/habitat data to validate or refme existing instream flow recommendations <br />for the Duchesne River to facilitate recovery of endangered fish. There are three <br />aspects to this study: measurement of physical features and inundation at various <br />flows; study of adult fish use of the river; investigation into spawning of <br />endangered fish and habitat use by young-of-the-year endangered fish. All <br />research is being conducted between Myton, UT and the confluence with the <br />Green River. This is designed to be a three- to five-year study concluding in 1999 <br />or 2001. <br /> <br />IV. Study Schedule: <br /> <br />1997 - 1999 <br /> <br />V. Relationship to RiPIRAP: Green River Action Plan: Duchesne River <br />I. Provide and Protect Instream Flows <br />II. Restore Habitat <br /> <br />VI. Accomplishments ofFY97: <br /> <br />The discussion that follows considers only larval and young-of-the-year sampling <br />(Tasks 1&2, Objectives 1&5) and habitat measurements (Task I, Objectives 4&5) <br />conducted by the principal investigator. Other tasks and objectives were <br />addressed by other investigators <br /> <br />Evidence of endangered fish spawning was investigated by sampling the lower <br />river (below the confluence with the Uinta River) for drifting larvae. Six larval <br />light traps were set overnight twice each week (n=95) in slack-water habitats <br />beginning 4 June and ending 31 July. Numerous sites were sampled during this <br />period. Samples were collected at dawn and counted, if possible, or preserved in <br />alcohol and submitted to the Larval Fish Laboratory (LFL), Colorado State <br />University for identification and enumeration. One bank of three drift nets was <br /> <br />I <br />