Upper Colorado Basin Area Report

Authors: Trina N. Hedrick, Krissy W. Wilson, Pete Cavalli, Lori Martin

Year: 2009 (xli)

Abstract

Activities continue in an effort to improve the status of many of the native fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin. These activities are guided principally by three programs: the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program, the range-wide Conservation Agreement for the Colorado River cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii pleuriticus), and the Range-wide Conservation Agreement and Strategy for the roundtail chub (Gila robusta), bluehead sucker (Catostomus discobolus), and flannelmouth sucker (C. latipinnis). The Recovery Program (this program works specifically towards recovery of the Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), bonytail (Gila elegans), razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), and humpback chub ( G. cypha)), uses the protection of instream flow, habitat restoration, nonnative fish control, propagation, life history monitoring, and information and education to bring benefits to the four ‘big river fishes.’ Examples of recent efforts include continued research into the use of floodplain habitats by razorback sucker, increased effort towards removal of problematic nonnative species, and the continuation of long-term status assessments. Renovation of rainbow trout streams and reintroduction of the Colorado River cutthroat trout continues in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Additional locations continue to be targeted for barrier placement and cutthroat reintroduction. Research into the movement and life history needs of the roundtail chub, bluehead sucker, and flannelmouth sucker continues in many locations in the upper basin. Fish passage continues to be a problem for these species; however, a few locations (the Duchesne River and the San Rafael River in Utah) have been the target of recent proposals to improve fish passage into potential spawning habitat above migration barriers.