https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/2111934e88e2bc7ea1c657b862951458.pdf 5ce6876bde211720c13e1cf7dc5f8b89 PDF Text Text Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Planned Biological Monitoring and Habitat Restoration Oversight in the Upper Colorado River Background The upper Colorado River is an iconic drainage in Colorado that has been severely impacted by impoundments and reduced flows. Trans-basin and local water use divert approximately 67% of the flow of the upper Colorado River and future projects will deplete flows further. There are ongoing discussions on how to implement mitigation measures to reduce the impact of increased trans-basin water diversions. One component is to reduce effects of the diversions by taking Windy Gap Reservoir off channel and constructing a bypass around the reservoir. This would reconnect the river and ameliorate various impacts of a large, on channel impoundment but would not reduce the impacts of water withdrawals from the system. The planned bypass channel offers a unique opportunity to evaluate the effects reconnecting the river through the reservoir as well as investigate mitigation measures to offset the impacts of large water diversions on the ecology of the river. The objectives of these projects are to evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation measures in restoring and improving the ecological function of the upper Colorado River. Invertebrate and Sculpin Evaluations Current Project Description and Status The current work on native sculpin and invertebrate species in the upper Colorado River is being conducted by CPW aquatic research scientist Dan Kowalski. Previous work by CPW research scientists identified ecological impacts of streamflow reductions and a main stem reservoir (Windy Gap) on the invertebrates and fish of the river. Native mottled sculpin are currently rare or extirpated immediately below the reservoir. The health of the invertebrate community declined after the construction of Windy Gap Reservoir. There has been a 38% reduction in the diversity of aquatic invertebrates from 1980 to 2011 and 19 species of mayflies, four species of stoneflies and eight species of caddisflies had been extirpated from the sampling site below Windy Gap (Erickson 1983, Nehring 2011). Previous work (Kowalski 2014) included mottled sculpin sampling above and below the reservoir (as well as other impoundments of the upper Colorado River) corroborated patterns of sculpin distributions and established that sculpin have been functionally extirpated from the Colorado River below Windy Gap Reservoir. Once common in this reach, sculpin are now absent for many miles downstream of the reservoir, but become increasingly common downstream as depletions are offset by other reservoir releases to satisfy downstream senior water rights. Future Plans A large amount of baseline data has already been collected previously under previous projects. To evaluate the effects of the proposed bypass on invertebrates, sampling is planned to replicate the historic sampling of invertebrates that occurred pre-impoundment and 25 years post impoundment (Erickson 1983, Nehring 2011). A subset of sites from previous work will be selected to represent �the most impacted areas below the reservoir as well as control sites. A before after control impact study design will be employed for invertebrates using commonly accepted sampling methods. Five replicate 0.086 m2 Hess samples will be taken from riffles at each study site. Macroinvertebrate samples will be sorted and sub-sampled in the laboratory using a standard USGS 300-count protocol, except that replicates will not be composited to allow for an estimate of within site variation (Moulton et al. 2000). All organisms, except for chironomids and noninsects, will be identified to genus or species while chironomids will be identified to subfamily and non-insects (e.g., oligochaetes, amphipods) identified to class. In addition to the analysis of recent samples, data will be compared to previous collections six and 33 years previous. To monitor any re-colonization of the river below Windy Gap Reservoir by the stonefly Pteronarcys californica, methods developed by Nehring (2011) and Kowalski (2016) Heinold et al. (in prep.) will be employed. To evaluate the effects of the proposed bypass on native mottled sculpin, sampling is planned to replicate the historic sampling that occurred pre- and post- impoundment (Erickson 1983, Kowalski 2014, Nehring 2011). A before after control impact study design will be employed for mottled sculpin using techniques developed on the Colorado River by previous work. Colorado River Rainbow Trout Establishment Current Project Description and Status The current phase of the upper Colorado River rainbow trout reestablishment project, examining fry stocking as a means to increase the adult rainbow trout population, began in 2013. Currently, CPW aquatic research scientist Dr. Eric Fetherman is assigned to this project. Rainbow trout fry have been stocked in to the upper Colorado River study section between Hitching Post Bridge and the Sheriff Ranch every year since 2013. CPW aquatic biologist Jon Ewert, who is responsible for fish population assessments in this area, simultaneously stocked the section from the Hot Sulphur Springs office to Sunset Ranch with similar numbers of rainbow trout fry. To determine fry survival rates, fry sites (four in the study section and three below Byers Canyon) have been sampled once a month June through October. Fry infection rates were monitored by collecting rainbow trout and brown trout fry samples for myxospore counts during fall sampling. Adult population estimates have been conducted in the spring (late April-early May) to determine if fish are recruiting to the adult population since 2013. Future Plans Fry stocking and evaluations will continue each year before and after the construction of the bypass. Myxospore counts will be obtained from rainbow trout and brown trout before and after construction of the bypass to determine if infection levels due to Myxobolus cerebralis, the parasite that causes salmonid whirling disease, are changed due to reduction of available Tubifex tubifex (the intermediate host of M. cerebralis) habitat. Wild trout reproduction response from construction of the bypass and related stream habitat work (connecting floodplain habitats and reducing entrenchment) will be evaluated. Adult population estimates will be conducted to determine if increased recruitment occurs after the construction of the bypass. During these �estimates, genetic samples will be collected to determine the survival and recruitment of stocked and naturally produced fry. Stream Hydrology, Channel Function, and Habitat Evaluations Current Project Description and Status CPW hydrologist/ research scientist Eric Richer and CPW research scientist Matt Kondratieff are involved in technical design assistance and review for the Windy Gap Bypass project and will serve the same functions for the Upper Colorado River Habitat Project. This review and oversight function for the entire segment of the upper Colorado River is important to integrate the numerous aspects of stream habitat work in the drainage with Windy Gap bypass project. Future Plans The Windy Gap bypass project presents a unique opportunity to evaluate various aspects of stable channel design and ecological restoration. The physical habitat characteristics for fish species should be evaluated for post-project changes by monitoring embeddedness and substrate. The project will create a new stream channel on a historic floodplain, and the new channel is likely to experience some adjustments in morphology over time. Monitoring geomorphology through repeated surveys for monumented cross-sections, the longitudinal profile of the new bypass channel, and sediment composition will provide valuable information on channel stability over time and inform maintenance needs. Ideally, bedload transport will be monitored to determine if the bypass channel is achieving sediment continuity. As establishing riparian vegetation will be critical for lateral channel stability, monitoring vegetation cover and composition would help evaluate the need for additional vegetation work. If habitat structures are used within the bypass channel, rapid assessment could be used to monitoring structural stability and function which would inform maintenance needs. Fish Movement and Habitat Use If funding becomes available, additional work will be conducted in addition to the planned evaluation and monitoring, which will more specifically evaluate use of the proposed Windy Gap bypass by fish and invertebrates. RFID (PIT tagging) technology could be used to evaluate fish movement through the bypass channel, adequacy of attraction flows from the bypass channel, and large-scale movement patterns for various species in the Upper Colorado River watershed. Adult fish, including rainbow, brown trout, and sculpins, will be marked upstream and downstream of Windy Gap Reservoir before construction of the bypass. Portable PIT Tag arrays will be used to track movement of marked fish in the areas upstream and downstream of the reservoir prior to and after construction of the bypass. Stationary PIT tag arrays will be installed in the bypass to monitor movement through the newly constructed Windy Gap bypass channel. Use of portable antennas will further allow the evaluation of fish use of habitat treatments installed within the bypass. This work will be integrated with the ongoing monitoring of invertebrates and fish to evaluate re-colonization in the bypass channel itself, as well as the effects on species composition upstream and downstream of Windy Gap Reservoir. References �Erickson, R.C. 1983. Benthic field studies for the Windy Gap study reach, Colorado River, Colorado, fall, 1980 to fall, 1981. Prepared for The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, Municipal Sub-District. Heinold, B.D., R.B. Nehring and D.A. Kowalski. In preparation. Estimating the density of benthic and emerging Salmonflies (Pteronarcys californica) in Colorado rivers. Kowalski, D.A. 2014. Colorado River aquatic resources investigations. Colorado Division of Wildlife, Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration, Project F-237-R21, Progress Report, Fort Collins. Kowalski, D.A. 2016. Colorado River aquatic resources investigations. Colorado Division of Wildlife, Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration, Project F-237-R23, Progress Report, Fort Collins. Moulton, S.R., II, Carter, J.L., Grotheer, S.A., Cuffney, T.F. & Short, T.M. 2000. Methods of analysis by the U. S. Geological Survey national water quality laboratory: processing, taxonomy, and quality control of benthic macroinvertebrate samples. Open-File Report 00-212, U.S. Geological Survey, Washington D.C. Nehring, R.B. 2011. Colorado River aquatic resources investigations. Colorado Division of Wildlife, Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration, Project F-237R-18, Final Report, Fort Collins. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Documents Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Planned biological monitoring and habitat restoration oversight in the Upper Colorado River Description An account of the resource The upper Colorado River is an iconic drainage in Colorado that has been severely impacted by impoundments and reduced flows. Trans-basin and local water use divert approximately 67% of the flow of the upper Colorado River and future projects will deplete flows further. There are ongoing discussions on how to implement mitigation measures to reduce the impact of increased trans-basin water diversions. One component is to reduce effects of the diversions by taking Windy Gap Reservoir off channel and constructing a bypass around the reservoir. This would reconnect the river and ameliorate various impacts of a large, on channel impoundment but would not reduce the impacts of water withdrawals from the system. The planned bypass channel offers a unique opportunity to evaluate the effects reconnecting the river through the reservoir as well as investigate mitigation measures to offset the impacts of large water diversions on the ecology of the river. The objectives of these projects are to evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation measures in restoring and improving the ecological function of the upper Colorado River. Subject The topic of the resource Habitat restoration Biological monitoring Upper Colorado River Windy Gap Reservoir Extent The size or duration of the resource. 4 pages Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Colorado Parks and Wildlife Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 2020 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Permitted</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource English