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<br />~-lL <br /> <br />6. Evaluation <br /> <br />There will be two major types of evaluation for the Program: site- <br />specific and basin-wide. <br /> <br />a. Site-specific Evaluation <br /> <br />This form of evaluation will be restricted primarily to floodplain <br />depression-type habitats which have outlet structures to control <br />filling, draining, and fish access. The sites mayor may not have <br />inlet water or fish control structures. Razorback larvae will be <br />allowed to drift into the site and/or will be placed into the site <br />at the beginning of the season, At the end of the season, the site <br />will be drained and all fishes will be harvested. Survival and <br />growth of razorbacks will be the primary evaluation indices. This <br />scenario will eventually be duplicated for other endangered species <br />and life stages (e.g., razorback juveniles and adults, bony tail <br />larvae, etc.). <br /> <br />b. Basin-wide Evaluation <br /> <br />This form of evaluation will monitor the status and trends of fish <br />species' populations (including razorbacks) throughout the Green <br />River sub-basin initially, and eventually the Colorado River sub- <br />basin. If we can design a meaningful monitoring program, then <br />status and trends indicators will tell us if floodplain habitat <br />restoration activities, or recovery activities in general, are <br />favoring the razorback sucker over other species. <br /> <br />This is the only form of evaluation that will work for many <br />floodplain habitats. Floodplain terraces and depressions which have <br />no water or fish control structures, and no way to efficiently <br />harvest fishes, cannot be easily evaluated on a site-specific basis. <br />And if we hope to eventually restore "natural floodplain functions", <br />most sites will have no control structures. Therefore, only a <br />basin-wide, long-term monitoring program will detect overall <br />species' response to recovery actions. Following is a brief outline <br />of the necessary steps: <br /> <br />1) Identify participants <br /> <br /> <br />2) Select sites for monitoring <br /> <br /> <br />3) Identify parameters/measures to be monitored <br /> <br /> <br />4) Develop sampling strategies <br /> <br /> <br />5) Implement <br /> <br />The monitoring program will be the mirror that reflects the results <br />of our recovery actions; the feedback loop that tells us if we are <br />doing the right things for the endangered fishes. <br /> <br />5 <br />