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<br />'period to identifY potential over-winter use; 4) continue with mark-recapture or <br />depletion sampling during base-flow within smaller, confined rcaches to identifY the fish <br />community of the Little Snake River; and 5) evaluate the use of population sampling <br />within small reaches as a tool for more accurately describing fish composition. <br /> <br />57 GUNNISON RIVER PASSAGE FLOW REQUIREMENTS <br /> <br />This study is to provide recommended minimum (provisional) flows in the lower <br />3 miles of the Gunnison River between its confluence with the Colofado River and <br />Redlands Diversion Dam to provide habitat and access for endangered fish during low- <br />flow periods. Recommended flows wiU be in concert with the operational criteria for <br />the planned fish passageway around the Redlands Diversion Dam. The passage facility <br />is intended to provide juvenile and adult Colorado squawfish and razorback sucker <br />access to historic range in the lower 56 miles of the Gunnison River. Establishing <br />provisional flows will provide opportunity for refinement of future flow <br />recommendations. "Fine tuning" flows will be determined from the fesp<;mse of native <br />and endangered fish to various low flows and from other empirical biological data <br />collected during the first couple of years of operating the fish passageway at Redlands <br />Diversion Dam. Refinements to the provisional flow recommendations will be <br />incorporated into the Aspinall Biological Opinion. <br /> <br />The Fish and Wildlife Service developed a provisional minimum flow recommendation <br />of 300 cfs in 1994 for this feach based on analyses of existing Colorado squawfish <br />habitat use and flow data. Very little data were collected on the relationship oflow <br />flow and Colorado squawfish use in 1995 because flows in the Gunnison River in 1995 <br />were much higher throughout the year compared to 1994. For example, the mean daily <br />May and June flow in 1994 was 3,640 cfs compared to 11,196 cfs in 1995 and the <br />mean daily flow for July, August and September in 1994 was 1,410 cfs versus 5,875 cfs <br />for the same three months in 1995. The lowest flow observed in the 3-rnile reach in <br />1995 was 650 cfs. Other low-flow years are required to refine the current provisional <br />flow recommendation for this important reach. <br /> <br />Recommendations: Produce draft report. Expected delivery 31 January 1996. <br /> <br />65 DEVELOP WlllTE RIVER FLOW RECOMMENDATIONS <br /> <br />The White Rivef was impounded by Taylor Draw Dam in 1985 creating Kenney <br />Reservoir. Studies conducted before 1985 documented squawfish use of the White <br />River above the dam. The dam blocked squawfish movement into available 'habitat <br />upstream and reduced the amount of historic home-range in the White river by 32%. <br />The restriction of upstream movement has resulted in the stockpiling of squawfish <br />immediately below the dam. As a consequence the density of squawfish in the area <br />below the dam are some of the highest in the Upper Colorado River Basin. <br /> <br />Studies conducted from 1992 through 1994 found that squawflsh migrate out of the <br />White River in the spring to spawning sites in the Green and Yampa rivers and then <br /> <br />A-IS <br />