Virgin River Chub Gila seminuda Long-Term Monitoring in the Moapa (Muddy) River, Nevada, 2007–2024

Authors: Justin Handtke, Brandon Albrecht, Ron Rogers, Michael Schwemm

Year: 2024

Abstract

Fisheries sampling efforts on the upper Muddy River, Nevada, during 2023–2024 aimed to assess the distribution and relative abundance of Virgin River Chub Gila seminuda from the Wells Siding Diversion (RKM 23.7) upstream to the US Bureau of Land Management’s Fish Barrier (RKM 49.1). Virgin River Chub was the only native species captured, with a total of 2,738 individuals recorded during the three trips. Most chub were under 200 mm in length, suggesting recruitment of this endangered species. There has been a significant increase in Virgin River Chub catch per unit effort since 2020, which appears to coincide with nonnative fish removal efforts by the Nevada Department of Wildlife (spanning 2016–2019). Long-term comparisons of Virgin River Chub captures underscore the importance of continued monitoring to evaluate the effects of management actions on sensitive, native, desert, fish populations.