Laserfiche WebLink
<br />~ <br />1 <br />] <br />] <br /> <br />1 <br />I <br />1 <br />I <br />j <br />. . <br /> <br />Physical Habitat Measurements <br /> <br />Physical habitat measurements were taken in and around the diversion structure during Trips <br />4 and 5. The objective of these measurements was to document velocities and depths associated with <br />features of the diversion structure during low flows. The location of points was subjective in attempts <br />to quantify areas of minimum and maximum depths and velocities. All depth measurements were <br />taken with a 6 foot graduated wading rod. Velocities were taken at 0.6 of the depth at each location <br />using a Marsh-McBirney current meter and a 6-foot wading rod. <br /> <br />Data Handling <br /> <br />All fish sampling data collected during this study were recorded on data forms developed <br />specifically for this project. An example of the data sheet used for this study is presented in <br />Appendix A All data on fISh collected during this study were stored in dBASE IV and provided to <br />the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Database Manager in Grand Junction, Colorado. The structure <br />used to store the data is presented in Appendix A Radiotelemetry and physical habitat data <br />collected during this study were recorded in the field notes of the BIO/WEST project leader. This <br />data will be archived at BIO/WEST and are available upon request. <br /> <br />Flow data presented in this report represent provisional U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data <br />provided by the USGS Water Resources Department, Meeker, Colorado. All data represent mean <br />daily flows taken at the USGS gaging station near Craig, Colorado on the Yampa River. <br /> <br />RESULTS <br /> <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />] <br />I <br /> <br />Mark and Recapture Study <br /> <br />Effort Expended. Electrofishing was conducted during all field trips except Trip 3 (Table 2). <br />Approximately equal time was spent electrofishing above and below the diversion structure during <br />each trip except for Trip 5 when efforts were concentrated above the structure. A total of 126 <br />electrofishing runs were made during the course of the investigation resulting in a "current on" time <br />of 26.3 hours. Fifty-five runs totaling 10.8 hours were made below the structure and 71 runs totaling <br />15.5 hours were made above the structure. A total of 11 nets were set during the study (all below <br />the structure) resulting in 17.8 hours of time fished (Table 2). <br /> <br />Fish Handled. A total of 20 species of fISh were handled during the study including six native <br />and 12 non-native species (Table 3). Seven hybrid combinations between native and non-native <br />species were also identified. Native species included bluehead sucker (Catostomus discobolus), <br />flannelmouth sucker, roundtail chub, speckled dace (Rhinichthvs osculus), mottled sculpin (Cottus <br />bairdi) and mountain whitefish (Prosooium williamsoni). No endangered fISh were handled during <br />this investigation. <br /> <br />Non-native species including white sucker and northern pike were the most abundant fish <br />captured representing 48.6% of the total catch, 37% and 11.6%, respectively (Table 4). Mountain <br />whitefish were the next most abundant species representing 8.4% of the total catch. Overall, native <br />and non-native species comprised 25.3% and 74.7% of the total catch respectively. Surrogate species <br />represented 16.6% of the total catch, including northern pike (11.6%), flannelmouth sucker (4.9%) <br />and roundtail chub (0.1 %). <br /> <br />7 <br />