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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />B. Objectives: <br /> <br />1. To quantify relationships between habitat and streamflow -- <br />particularly that between peak discharge and flooded, quiet water <br />areas. <br /> <br />2. Use aerial video techniques, ground-truth data and other <br />measurements made on the water, and existing habitat-use <br />information to describe the availability of important habitats in <br />the Gunnison River. <br /> <br />3. Begin the process to develop year-round flow recommendations for <br />the Gunnison River. <br /> <br />4. Use aerial-video and aerial photography to describe channel <br />morphology of Gunnison River at base flow. Provide baseline <br />information to detect changes in channel morphology over time. <br /> <br />5. Identify areas that may be appropriate for habitat improvement <br />projects. <br /> <br />IV. Study Area <br /> <br />Gunnison River, Redlands Diversion Dam to Delta, Colorado (River Mile 2.5 <br />to 55) <br /> <br />V. Study Methods/Approach <br /> <br />Aerial videography will be combined with ground truthing to describe the <br />available habitats in the Gunnison River and their relationship with <br />streamflow. The study will be a multi-year study. <br /> <br />Color aerial videography will be acquired at flows not acquired in <br />previous years. A PC-based map and image processing system (MIPS) will be <br />used to delineate the same classes identified with the CIR. The results <br />will then be transferred to a GIS for incorporation to the relational data <br />base. <br /> <br />Service biologists will select study sites where detailed habitat <br />measurements will be made by individuals on the ground at the same time as <br />the aerial videography is flown (peak and base flows). The selected study <br />sites will represent the general habitat conditions found in the Gunnison <br />River as well as specific sites known to be important to Colorado <br />squawfish and razorback sucker. Habitat types that can not be identified <br />directly from the photographs (e.g. eddies, runs, riffles, and pools) will <br />be drawn on photographs from prior trips to allow quantification of these <br />specific habitat types. Number and area of each habitat type will be <br />calculated for each flight. <br /> <br />Aspinall-F /Page 2 <br />