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6 <br />limb, the armor layer becomes a trap for sands until finally, the <br />sand reservoir is again filled. Without cobble movement, sand <br />will be scoured only to a depth of one-half to one median cobble <br />diameter below the cobble bed surface." <br />In the flume experiments, the sand level was observed approximately <br />0.50 to 1 cobble diameter below the surface of the cobble bed, which compared <br />to field observations of sand depth at approximately 0.50 to I median cobble <br />diameter. O'Brien reported a cobble size range of 50-100 mm with a median <br />size of 75 mm at the spawning site. Milhous (1982) proposes discharges of <br />approximately 0.50 of that required to initiate cobble movement will be <br />capable of extracting sands and fines from the cobble substrate. Thus, after <br />the supply of sand diminishes, flows of sufficient magnitude and duration are <br />required to scour the cobble bed in preparation for spawning and incubation. <br />Although the location of spawning areas in the Colorado River is not well <br />defined, the presence of larvae near the confluence of the Gunnison River, in <br />the Loma to Black Rocks reach and near the confluence of the Dolores River, <br />demonstrates that spawning does occur. Kaeding and Osmundson (1987) reported <br />that water temperatures in the Colorado River were suitable for spawning in <br />the Grand Junction area. In 1986, a year of high runoff, suitable <br />temperatures for spawning (20 °C) occurred in the first week of August. <br />Miller et al. (1982) and Archer et al. (1986) demonstrated that Colorado <br />squawfish often migrate considerable distances to spawn in the Green and Yampa <br />Rivers, and similar movement has been noted in the main stem Colorado River. <br />Miller et al. (1482) concluded from collections of larvae and young-of-year <br />below known spawning sites that there is a downstream drift of larval Colorado <br />squawfish following hatching. Extensive studies in the Yampa and upper Green <br />Rivers have demonstrated downstream distribution of young Colorado squawfish <br />from known spawning areas (Archer et al. 1986; Haynes et al. 1985). Miller <br />et al. (1982) also found that young-of-year Colorado squawfish, from late <br />summer through fall, preferred natural backwater areas of zero velocity and <br />less than 1.5-foot depth over a silt substrate. Juvenile Colorado squawfish <br />habitat preferences are similar to that of young-of-year fish, but they appear <br />to be mobile and more tolerant of lotic conditions away from the sheltered <br />backwater environment. <br />Information on radio-tagged Colorado squawfish that have been observed during <br />fall suggests that fish seek out deepwater areas in the Colorado River (Miller <br />et al. 1982), as do many other riverine species. River pools, runs, and other <br />deep water areas, especially in upstream reaches, are important winter <br />habitats for Colorado squawfish. <br />Very little information is available on. the influence of turbidity on the <br />endangered Colorado River fishes. It is assumed,_however, that turbidity is <br />important ,. .particularly .as it affects the interaction between introduced <br />fishes and the endemic Colorado River .fishes. Because these endemic fishes. <br />have evolved under natural conditions of high turbidity, it is concluded that <br />