Green River Basin

New Fork River

Table of Contents

Watershed Description ...... 2 Aquatic Wildlife ...... 3 Identification of Conservation Areas ...... 4 Threats...... 6 Conservation Initatives ...... 8 Recommended Conservation Actions ...... 11 Monitoring ...... 13 Literature Cited ...... 13

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Aquatic Basins Game and Fish Department Green River Basin

Watershed Description portions of Fremont and Teton counties occur in the basin as well. Land ownership is Six major watersheds were identified for predominantly public (72%). Much of the 28% conservation planning purposes under this State of privately-held lands occur in the Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) using “checkerboard” band of ownership along the hydrographic boundaries and fisheries Union Pacific railroad. Green River basin assemblage and management considerations. public land is managed primarily by the Bureau The watersheds each include one to four sub- of Land Management (56% of all surface acres) regions (4-digit hydrologic unit code [HUC] and U.S. Forest Service (10% of all surface watersheds). This approach allows the nesting acres). of multiple spatial and temporal scales for There are approximately 23,000 miles of planning and prioritizing conservation actions. streams on the USGS National Hydrography The Green River basin corresponds with the Dataset in the Green River basin. Major river Upper Colorado hydrologic unit in Wyoming drainages include the Little Snake (Tributary to (Figure 3; 2-digit HUC 14). Major drainages the Yampa River in Colorado), Henrys Fork, corresponding to 8-digit HUCs include Upper Blacks Fork, Hams Fork, Big Sandy, East Fork, Green, New Fork, Upper Green-Slate, Big New Fork, LaBarge, Cottonwood and Horse. Sandy, Bitter, Upper Green-Flaming Gorge, Additional information about the basins Blacks Fork, Muddy, Vermillion, Great Divide drainages, geography, geology, land forms, Closed Basin, Little Snake, and Muddy (in Little climate, dams, reservoirs and diversions, Snake drainage). The Great Divide Basin is a hydrology, habitat types, land use and water closed basin and is included. These watersheds classifications are detailed in the 2010 SWAP. span about 21,000 square miles in southwestern Wyoming’s Carbon, Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, and Uinta counties. Very small

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Aquatic Basins Wyoming Game and Fish Department Green River Basin

Figure 3. Green River Basin

Aquatic Wildlife is also home to four of Wyoming’s five NSS1 fishes, the Bluehead Sucker, Flannelmouth Fish Sucker, Roundtail Chub, and the federally A detailed history of fish collections and surveys endangered Kendall Warm Springs Dace (Table in this basin are chronicled in the 2010 SWAP. 3). The native community also included at least These surveys and collections are the basis for three of the four federally endangered species of describing the native fish community. The 2010 the Colorado River basin, the Colorado SWAP also includes a summary of fish Pikeminnow, Razorback Sucker, and Bonytail, introductions to the basin. Most introductions all of which have been extirpated from the state. were conducted by the WGFD but others were The Green River basin has two native game fish illegal or inadvertent. and 11 native nongame fish (four are extirpated The native fish community of the Green River from the state; Table 3). A total of 12 game fish basin in Wyoming is arguably the most and 14 nongame fish have been introduced into imperiled in the state. Twelve species and the basin (Table 3). One game fish species and subspecies were historically found in the basin, four nongame fish species are currently three of which have been extirpated. The basin considered SGCN (Table 4).

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Table 3. Fishes present in the Green River Basin. * denotes Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). X denotes extirpated from Wyoming. E denotes federally endangered species. U denotes fishes that may have been present in Wyoming, but historic presence has not been confirmed. Native game Native nongame Nonnative game Nonnative nongame Colorado River Bluehead Sucker* Bonneville Cutthroat Burbot Cutthroat Trout* BonytailXE Trout Common Carp Mountain Whitefish Colorado PikeminnnowXE Brook Trout Creek Chub Flannelmouth Sucker* Brown Trout Fathead Minnow Humpback ChubEU Channel Catfish Iowa Darter Kendall Warm Springs Golden Trout Lake Chub Dace*E Grayling Longnose Dace Mottled Sculpin Kokanee Salmon Longnose Sucker Mountain sucker Lake Trout Northern Leatherside Razorback SuckerXE Rainbow Trout Chub Roundtail Chub* Smallmouth Bass Redside Shiner Speckled Dace Snake River Cutthroat Sand Shiner Trout Chub Yellowstone Cutthroat Utah Sucker Trout White Sucker

Aquatic Reptiles No crayfish species are known to be native to No turtles are native to the Green River basin. the Green River basin in Wyoming. However, Eastern Snapping Turtles have been found on both Calico Crayfish and Virile Crayfish have occasion but none are known to have survived been introduced (Hubert 1988, Hubert 2010). to reproduce. The Calico Crayfish is known from Fontenelle Reservoir and the Big Sandy River. The Freshwater Mollusks and Crayfishes distribution of Virile Crayfish is much more Wyoming is still in the discovery phase in terms widespread. of its freshwater bivalve mollusks and gastropods. Although aquatic mollusks are often encountered during invertebrate sampling, Table 4. Species of Greatest Conservation few published accounts exist (Beetle 1989, Need present in the Green River Basin Henderson 1924, Hoke 1979, Hovingh 2004). The WGFD retains SGCN status for some Fish native bivalve mollusks and many gastropods Bluehead Sucker due to lacking information. Colorado River Cutthroat Trout Flannelmouth Sucker No mussels are believed to be native to the Kendal Warm Springs Dace basin but recent surveys found live Western Roundtail Chub Pearlshell mussels in the drainage (WGFD 2016).

Most of what is known about species presence and distributions of gastropods in the basin are Identification of Conservation Areas summarized in Beetle (1989). All gastropods in the basin are SGCN due to lack of adequate Conservation areas were identified based on population and distribution information. distribution and conservation need for the Three Species (Roundtail Chub, Flannelmouth

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Aquatic Basins Wyoming Game and Fish Department Green River Basin

Sucker and Bluehead Sucker) and Colorado Littlefield Creek in the Muddy Creek watershed. River Cutthroat Trout. Priority areas in the Blacks Fork River drainage include: Muddy Creek, upper Sage and Gilbert Priority subdrainages for the conservation of creeks; and all tributaries to the upper Hams Wyoming’s Three Species include: Muddy Creek Fork River. Conservation areas in the upper (tributary to the Little Snake River), Big Sandy Green River include LaBarge, Horse, and River, Little Sandy Creek, Upper Bitter Creek, Cottonwood creek watersheds, North Piney the Henrys Fork and select Finger Lakes near Lake and the Lake Creek watershed, Beaver Pinedale. Creek watershed (tributary to Green River), Priority conservation areas for the Colorado Beaver creeks, Trail Ridge Creek and Fish Creek River Cutthroat Trout are numerous and in the South Piney watershed, Tepee, Rock, widespread. Priority areas in the Little Snake Klondike, Jim, and Gypsum creeks. River drainage include: North Fork, West Priority drainages and habitats have not yet Branch of the North Fork, and the upper been defined for the conservation of freshwater Roaring Fork of the Little Snake River; mollusks. Dirtyman Creek watershed and upper Deep, Mill, Hatch, and Hells Canyon creeks in the Savery Creek watershed; Haggarty Creek; and

Figure 4. Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Areas in the Green River Basin.

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Threats Watercraft are inspected at key locations entering the basin at Evanston and Kemmerer, Invasive species – High and at major waters including Flaming Gorge Aquatic invasive species (AIS) present in the Reservoir, Fontenelle Reservoir, and Fremont basin include curly pondweed. Additional Lake. Twenty (20) waters in the basin are descriptions and definitions of AIS can be monitored annually to detect the presence of found in the WGFD AIS management plan invasive species. These efforts to keep existing (WGFD 2010). species in the basin from spreading to new waters, and other harmful species from entering Curly pondweed was introduced into the United the basin will continue. States in the mid 1800’s and is now widespread. Curly pondweed reproduces by seed which can Water development/altered flow regimes – be easily transferred in mud or water. It is High introduced into new areas through boating, Natural flow regimes in stream segments fishing, and water hauling, and as an ornamental around the state have been altered by human plant. New populations continue to be activities including irrigation diversions and discovered in Wyoming. In the Green River water developments for more reliable water Basin, it is found in New Fork Lake at the supply, hydropower, recreation and flood constriction between upper and lower New control. These altered flow regimes are also a Fork lakes. consequence of broad-scale changes in land use and management associated with agriculture, In addition to species designated as AIS, several grazing, timber harvest, and housing introduced game fishes are problematic in the development (see Wyoming Leading Wildlife basin. Burbot, a voracious predator, are Conservation Challenges – Disruption of expanding in the basin and pose a significant Historic Disturbance Regimes). The majority of threat to Flannelmouth and Bluehead Suckers in the Green River basin is publicly owned. the Green and Big Sandy rivers and to the Because it is such an arid region, the limited Three Species (Bluehead Sucker, Flannelmouth amount of irrigated cropland has a significant Sucker and Roundtail Chub) in the Blacks Fork impact on aquatic wildlife in some areas. and Hams Fork. White sucker in the drainage Besides the direct effects of depleting stream pose risk of competition and hybridization with flow in some streams and enhancing stream native Flannelmouth and Bluehead suckers in flow where return flows are considerable in the drainage. Additionally, competition and other places, irrigation diversions often impede hybridization with nonnative trout poses a movement, and in many situations significant threat to important conservation populations of numbers of fish are lost to entrainment into the Colorado River Cutthroat Trout in the drainage. irrigation ditches. Lateral and longitudinal While nonnative game fish may need to be hydrologic connectivity and physical access by controlled for conservation and restoration of fish populations to all habitats necessary to natives in some areas, these same fish support complete their life history is limited in portions popular fisheries that provide important of the drainage. In-channel obstructions and recreational and economic benefits (WGFD increased dewatering have reduced some 2010). populations of native fishes. Other invasive species, such as zebra and The need for additional water for human quagga mussels and silver carp, are present in consumption will intensify in the immediate neighboring states and potentially very harmful future, and that trend will be especially evident to the aquatic wildlife in the basin. Through in the western U.S. Demand for additional outreach and education, watercraft inspections, water primarily in states that are downstream and monitoring, the harmful impacts of these from Wyoming will increase even more than and other invasive species may be prevented. demand in Wyoming. This trend has multi-

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Aquatic Basins Wyoming Game and Fish Department Green River Basin faceted consequences for fish and wildlife and and Wyoming Range and Wind River tributaries the habitats upon which they depend, (Green River Basin Plan 2010). depending on how such demand influences water management. In Wyoming, trans-basin While water development can threaten native water diversions are not uncommon and are species, some introduced species, including likely to be further proposed and pursued. those in popular sport fisheries, have thrived in Warmer conditions with more erratic the face of water development. The precipitation― which some predict for simplification of natural systems by human Wyoming ― may heighten the need for more development tends to simplify habitat structure creative water management including additional which can favor species with generalized and water storage for municipal, agricultural, and broad habitat requirements. For example, the recreational purposes. Lake Trout fishery in depends on the consistent deep water and In recent years, entities from the lower forage production inherent in this man-made Colorado River Basin have explored an water body. Stable stream flow releases from incentive-based program to encourage dams, with relatively low peak flows and Wyoming water users (mostly irrigators) to relatively high base flows, perpetuate productive forgo late season irrigation as a way to produce sport fisheries like the Green River below more water in the system for those entities in Fontenelle Reservoir. the lower basin. If this practice continues, the net result could be to enhance late season flow Drought and climate change – moderate in some stream segments which could improve Climate change may increase air and surface habitat and species distribution for some species water temperatures, alter the magnitude and of fish and other aquatic organisms. Given the seasonality of precipitation and runoff, and shift demand for water in the lower basin these kinds the reproductive phenology and distribution of of water management practices could persist or plants and animals (Seavy et al. 2009) (see increase. Wyoming Leading Wildlife Conservation Challenges – Climate Change). The likely trend will be water development projects closer to the delivery point and Changes in precipitation patterns under various conveyance via pipelines instead of stream climate change scenarios are predicted to channels. Additional emphasis will likely be produce peak flows earlier in the yearly cycle placed on lining irrigation ditches and other and to lower base flows (Barnett et al. 2004). practices to more efficiently use water for Drought lowers water tables, leading to reduced consumptive purposes. The net effect of all plant growth and reproduction. Riparian such water management practices will be to alter vegetation declines lead to lower bank stability, the timing, magnitude, and duration of natural higher siltation and altered stream habitat hydrographs and reduce intra- and inter-annual quality and quantity. Lower water levels variability in Wyoming’s streams and associated increase water temperatures and reduce the riparian corridors (see Wyoming Leading habitat available to fish and other aquatic Wildlife Conservation Challenges – Climate wildlife. All these conditions can be detrimental Change, and the Riparian habitat chapter). In to the health and reproductive success of all many situations, changes in stream channel aquatic wildlife species. hydrologic patterns can alter habitat with the concurrent effect of altering the species or aquatic organisms that are found there. Several water development projects have been proposed for the upper Green River Basin. Proposed sites are located on the Green River

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Conservation Initiatives Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ute Tribe and National Park Service, Department plans and policies signed a Conservation Agreement to jointly The WGFD’s Fish Division has developed conserve, protect, and restore Colorado River basin management plans to guide management Cutthroat Trout within their historic range across the state. These plans provide (CRCT Conservation Team 2006). As part of background and history of aquatic wildlife the agreement the interstate working group management as well as management direction. under the auspices of the Conservation These plans reference the SWAP and the Agreement completes range-wide status Strategic Habitat Plan (SHP), attempting to assessments (e.g. Hirsch et al. 2013). incorporate management direction relevant to each basin. The states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming and U.S. Fish and Habitat management efforts are guided by the Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, SHP that is regularly revised and approved by National Park Service, U.S. Bureau of the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission. Reclamation, Jicarilla Apache Nation, Southern The SHP includes five goals: 1) Conserve and Ute Indian Tribal Council, and U.S. Forest manage wildlife habitats that are crucial for Service are signatories to a range-wide maintaining terrestrial and aquatic wildlife conservation agreement and strategy for populations for the present and future, 2) Roundtail Chub, Bluehead Sucker and Enhance, improve, and manage priority wildlife Flannelmouth Sucker (UDWR 2009). As part habitats that have been degraded, 3) Increase of the agreement an interstate working group wildlife-based recreation through habitat meets annually to discuss conservation needs enhancements that maintain or increase and produces regular status assessments. productivity of wildlife, 4) Increase public awareness of wildlife habitat issues and the The National Fish Habitat Action Plan critical connection between healthy habitat and (NFHAP) was developed by a coalition of abundant wildlife populations, and 5) Promote fisheries professionals, state and federal collaborative habitat management efforts with agencies, tribes, foundations, conservation and the general public, conservation partners, angling groups, businesses and industries, all private landowners, and land management determined to reverse the declines of America’s agencies. Efforts are focused in priority areas in fish habitats. The WGFD is involved with three each of the management regions and include NFHAP partnerships, Great Plains Fish Habitat crucial areas essential for conservation of Partnership, the Western Native Trout important species and communities and Initiative, and the Desert Fishes Habitat enhancement areas, which represent places Partnership. The Western Native Trout where work should be done to maintain or Initiative and the Desert Fishes Habitat improve wildlife habitat. Partnership cover the Green River Basin. Additional information on Fish Habitat In addition to these guiding documents, the Partnerships can be found in the 2010 SWAP. WGFD has a number of tools, policies and protocols to protect and enhance native aquatic The Kendall Warm Springs Dace (KWD) is wildlife. Additional details on these tools, federally listed as an Endangered species. The policies and protocols including environmental U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recovery plan for commenting, aquatic wildlife stocking and KWD is the primary guiding document for transplant, and disease prevention can be found management of this species (USFWS 2015). in the 2010 SWAP. The Wyoming Landscape Conservation Interagency plans and agreements Initiative (WLCI) coalesced in the mid 2000s The states of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming and is a long-term science-based effort to assess along with the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of and enhance aquatic and terrestrial habitats at a

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Aquatic Basins Wyoming Game and Fish Department Green River Basin landscape scale in Southwest Wyoming. To populations are robust leading to the ensure Southwest Wyoming’s wildlife and determination that a non SGCN status rank habitat remain viable in areas facing (NSS5) is appropriate. development pressure, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, WGFD biologists investigated the seasonal U.S. Geological Survey, USDA Forest Service, movements of Colorado River Cutthroat Trout National Park Service, the U.S. Bureau of in North and South Cottonwood Creeks. Reclamation, the Wyoming Department of Results suggest variable movement and isolation Agriculture, the Wyoming Game and Fish of fragment populations (Rhea 2015). Department, local conservation districts, and The WGFD and Bridger-Teton National Forest local counties are implementing the WLCI. aquatics biologists inventoried the distribution Ongoing and completed conservation and abundance of Colorado River Cutthroat actions Trout in the upper Green River (Rhea and Numerous projects have been completed to Gardiner 2012). benefit SGCN in the Green River basin since WGDF biologists assessed the habitat the implementation of the 2010 SWAP availability and use by Flannelmouth Sucker in (previous accomplishments are documented in Bitter Creek. Recommendations include barrier the 2010 SWAP). Multiple sources of funding enhancement and channel modification (Senecal have been used to implement projects. Projects 2011). have been completed by department personnel and through contracting and granting with The WGFD funded a research project at research partners. Accomplishments are listed Colorado State University to aid in the design of under headings taken from the Recommended fish migration barriers to prevent White Sucker Conservation Actions in the 2010 SWAP. and Burbot from entering conservation areas While accomplishments are not duplicated for Flannelmouth Sucker, Bluehead Sucker and under more than one action they commonly Roundtail Chub (Gardunio 2014). address multiple actions. Although this list is WGFD biologist monitored populations of not comprehensive of all actions, most of the Colorado River Cutthroat Trout, Flannelmouth significant initiatives are summarized below. Suckers, Bluehead Suckers and Roundtail Chub

in the Muddy Creek drainage (WGFD 2011, Secure and enhance populations and 2012, 2015). habitats in SGCN priority areas The WGFD completed a fish migration barrier Assess the genetic purity of Colorado River on and chemically removed nonnative trout Cutthroat Trout, Bluehead Sucker, from Bare Creek. The stream will be re-stocked Flannelmouth Sucker, and Roundtail Chub with genetically pure Colorado River Cutthroat populations Trout (WGFD 2016). The WGFD funded a study at the University of Wyoming to determine genetic purity and Determine the status and distribution of patterns of hybridization amongst Wyoming native aquatic wildlife assemblages with suckers (Mandeville et al. 2015). The study emphasis on Colorado River Cutthroat included numerous samples from Bluehead Trout, Bluehead Sucker, Flannelmouth Sucker and Flannelmouth Sucker from the Sucker, and Roundtail Chub Green River basin. WGFD biologists conducted a statewide survey of Mountain Whitefish (SGCN in 2010 SWAP) Identify and reduce threats to native fish from 2009 to 2013. A primary achievement of populations from nonnative species the study was the development of a sampling The WGFD funded a research project at the approach for assessing populations (Edwards University of Idaho to investigate the scale and 2014). The study demonstrated most scope of nonnative Burbot invasion in the

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Green River and determine if population 2016). Bluehead Suckers and Roundtail Chub control may be feasible. Results suggest Burbot will be transplanted from downstream habitats are widespread and abundant near reservoirs into voided habitat. (Klein 2015). WGFD began construction of a fish migration In advance of work to restore Bluehead Sucker barrier on Big Sandy River to keep nonnative and Flannelmouth Sucker to the Big Sandy species from moving upstream into habitat used River, the WGFD conducted a study to by native sucker species. determine effective lethal dosage of rotenone on Burbot (Compton 2013). WGFD constructed the East Fork Rearing Station near the Boulder Rearing Station to hold The WGFD led a mechanical removal of native suckers and chubs during chemical nonnative fish from tributaries of the Green treatments targeting non-native fishes. Studies River to protect and enhance populations of were also conducted to determine the feasibility Roundtail Chub, Flannelmouth Sucker and of salvaging and holding native suckers and Bluehead Sucker (Atwood and Keith 2012). chubs in captivity (WGFD 2013).

The WGFD chemically removed nonnative Implement existing plans and agreements species (Longnose Sucker) from Meeks Lake in to conserve SGCN the Big Sandy drainage to eliminate competition WGFD and cooperating entities continue to and hybridization of native sucker species implement actions spelled out in Conservation (WGFD 2013). Strategies for Colorado River Cutthroat Trout (CRCT Conservation Team 2006), and WGFD built fish migration barriers on Long Roundtail Chub, Flannelmouth Sucker, and Draw in the Little Sandy drainage and Sculpin Bluehead Sucker (UDWR 2009). Creek in the Big Sandy drainage to isolate the tributaries and facilitate chemical treatments Increase educational efforts about the which have eliminated significant source ecological, economic, and social values of populations of nonnative species that are aquatic SGCN. impacting native sucker species (WGFD 2013, The WGFD created, produced and 2016). disseminated a poster detailing the state’s native fishes. The WGFD chemically removed nonnative species from Sculpin Creek in the Big Sandy WGFD created, produced and disseminated drainage and from Long Draw in the Little stickers and magnets featuring Flannelmouth Sandy drainage to eliminate predation, Sucker, Bluehead Sucker, and Roundtail Chub. competition and hybridization of native sucker Continue building voucher collections for species (WGFD 2013, 2016). all aquatic wildlife WGFD biologists collected numerous fish Trout Unlimited, in partnership with WGFD, voucher specimens since the last SWAP (2010). completed the Eagle Creek fish migration All vouchers specimens are submitted to the barrier on McKinney Creek and the Bridger Museum of Southwestern Biology, Albuquerque Pass fish barrier on Muddy Creek in the Muddy NM. Creek drainage (WGFD 2016). Continue aquatic habitat work in the basin WGFD in partnership with BLM chemically WGFD biologists investigated Colorado River removed nonnative species from McKinney Cutthroat Trout passage and entrainment at Creek above the Eagle Creek fish barrier to Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities diversions in eliminate predation, competition and the Little Snake River drainage (Luginbill and hybridization of the three species (WGFD Compton 2011). Results suggest the diversions

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Aquatic Basins Wyoming Game and Fish Department Green River Basin are barriers that impeded movement while Recommended Conservation entrainment is a low-level threat. Actions

WGFD completed entrainment studies on Secure, enhance, or establish SGCN several private land diversions in the populations Cottonwood drainage (WGFD 2016). Finish building fish migration barrier on the Big Sandy River, salvage native fish and chemically The WGFD partnered with USFS, TU, and remove nonnative suckers, chubs and Burbot. USFWS to improve passage at two road crossings in upper LaBarge Creek to open up Restore Little Sandy Creek to a native fish five miles of habitat to Colorado River assemblage including the three species. Build Cutthroat. fish migration barriers and establish fish passage as necessary to facilitate restoration efforts. The WGFD assessed 231 of 296 known points of diversions in the upper Green Basin Continue restoring Muddy Creek and its (primarily along the East slope of the Wyoming tributaries to a native fish assemblage including Range) for fish passage needs and prioritization. the three species and Colorado River Cutthroat Trout. Build fish migration barriers and Fish passage was improved at four irrigation establish fish passage as necessary to facilitate diversions in three different drainages; Horse restoration efforts. Creek, Cottonwood Creek, and Piney Creek. A fish screen was installed in a large diversion Transplant Roundtail Chub from lower Muddy of Pine Creek, tributary to the New Fork River, Creek into Lowest Deep Gulch Reservoir. to eliminate entrainment. Increase the capacity of the East Fork Rearing Station (three species rearing facility) to hold Trout Unlimited in partnership with WGFD and maintain additional fish. and Little Snake Conservation District modified numerous sheet piling structures to allow for Identify refuge lakes and implement transplants fish passage in the Muddy Creek drainage for Roundtail Chubs in lakes in the basin. (WGFD 2015, 2016). Restore Sage Creek, Currant Creek and Trout Explore water management approaches that Creek to a native fish assemblage including enhance fish habitat Colorado River Cutthroat trout. Build fish A two year pilot program was initiated that paid migration barriers and establish fish passage as water users to stop irrigation in early July and necessary to facilitate restoration efforts. allow water to bypass their diversion with the goal to reach states in the lower Colorado River Reconnect East Muddy Creek, West Muddy basin. Extra flow during late summer is very Creek and Van Tassel Creek as metapopulation beneficial to habitat conditions at a critical time of native fish including Colorado River period for fish. Cutthroat trout. Eliminate nonnative fish as necessary with chemical treatments. Protect the Follow up on recommendations from the population with a fish migration barrier below graduate research project on gastropods the convergence of the three Muddy Creek No reported projects. tributaries.

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Inventory, assess, or examine life history LaBarge Creek to connect the entire watershed requirements of SGCN upstream of the fish migration barrier. Conduct baseline gastropods surveys in the basin and identify needed actions to maintain or Assist water users with entrainment study on restore populations. the Lee Ditch, a diversion on Pine Creek.

Conduct sampling on non-wadeable streams in Assess remaining irrigation diversions and road the Green River drainage which were crossings in the basin for fish passage and undersampled in 2002-2006 surveys (Gelwicks prioritization for fish friendly improvements. et al. 2009) to better understand the status of Flannelmouth Sucker, Bluehead Sucker and Improve aquatic habitat for SGCN Roundtail Chub in these waters. Implement stream restoration designs on the New Fork River downstream of Pinedale to Determine current status of Roundtail Chub improve stream function and habitat conditions. populations in the Blacks Fork and Hams Fork drainages, especially after the recent invasion by Implement stream restoration and habitat non-native Burbot. improvement projects on the Big Sandy River downstream of Buckskin Crossing to narrow Conduct a study to better understand life and deepen the channel and expose hard history and movement patterns of Roundtail surfaces for native suckers. Chub in the Blacks Fork and Hams Fork drainages. Implement stream riparian restoration projects Provide passage and reduce entrainment at in the Red Creek drainage to enhance habitat barriers impacting SGCN for native fish including Colorado River Conduct entrainment study of seven irrigation Cutthroat Trout. diversions in the Cottonwood Creek drainage to determine need for screening. Employ water management strategies that improve habitat for SGCN Work with TU and landowner on South Identify opportunities to work with private Cottonwood Creek to improve passage past two water right holders to manage water diversions diversions and a road crossing. and uses with the goal of restoring natural flow regimes. Where opportunities exist, develop Work with partners in the Henry’s Fork cooperative strategies with landowners and drainage and its tributaries to improve fish other partners to implement strategies that are passage and reduce or eliminate entrainment by beneficial to aquatic resources. irrigation diversions as necessary for Identify stream segments where habitat and Flannelmouth Suckers, Bluehead Suckers and available flow regimes indicate a need to file Colorado River Cutthroat Trout. instream flow water rights for SGCN. As opportunities are identified, conduct needed Work with partners to improve fish passage in studies and file for state-held instream flow the Muddy Creek drainage for Colorado River water rights. Cutthroat Trout and the three species. Continue building voucher collections for Work with partners to maintain existing fish all aquatic wildlife migration barriers and to improve fish passage Continue to fill voids in voucher inventory for as needed in the Gilbert Creek drainage. fish per WGFD protocol (Zafft and Bear, 2009). Work with project partners to improve passage at nine additional road crossings in upper Build gastropod voucher collection and find permanent repository.

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Increase educational efforts about the GARDUNIO, E. 2014. Jumping and swimming ecological, economic, and social values of performance of Burbot and White Sucker: aquatic SGCN Implications for barrier design. Master’s Thesis. Colorado State University, Fort Collins. No specific actions identified. GELWICKS, K. R., C. J. GILL, A. I. KERN, AND R. KEITH. 2009. Current status of Roundtail Chub, flannelmouth sucker, and Bluehead Sucker in the Green River drainage of Wyoming. Wyoming Monitoring Game and Fish Department Administrative Report, Cheyenne, WY. Routinely monitor SGCN populations GREEN RIVER BASIN PLAN. 2010. Wyoming Water Conduct routine population assessments of Development Commission, Basin Planning Colorado River Cutthroat Trout at established Program. Cheyenne, WY. monitoring sites. HENDERSON, J. 1924. Mollusca of Colorado, Utah, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. University of Conduct routine population assessments of Colorado Studies 13:65–223. Roundtail Chub, Flannel Mouth Sucker and HIRSCH, C.L., M.R. DARE, AND S.E. ALBEKE. 2013. Bluehead Sucker at established monitoring sites. Range-wide status of Colorado River cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii pleuriticus): 2010. Establish standardized monitoring Colorado River Cutthroat Trout Conservation protocols and locations for native SGCN Team Report. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Fort Develop a plan to monitor Flannelmouth Collins. Sucker, Bluehead Sucker and Roundtail Chub HOVINGH, P. 2004. Intermountain freshwater populations identified in Gelwicks et al. (2009). mollusks, USA (Margaritifera, Anodonta, Gonidea, Valvata, Ferrissia): geography, conservation, and fish management implications. Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist 2:109–135. HUBERT, W. A. 1988. Survey of Wyoming crayfishes. Literature Cited Great Basin Naturalist 48:370–372. HUBERT, W.A. 2010. Survey of Wyoming crayfishes: ATWOOD, P. AND R. KEITH. 2012. Mechanical 2007–2009. US Geological Survey Report to the removal of non-native fishes to conserve native Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Cheyenne, Bluehead Sucker, Flannelmouth Sucker and WY. Roundtail Chub in the Green River Drainage of Wyoming 2009-2011. Wyoming Game and Fish KLEIN, Z. B. 2015. Population ecology and the Department Administrative Report, Cheyenne, suppression of Burbot in the Green River, WY. Wyoming. Master’s Thesis. University of Idaho, Moscow. BARNETT, T., R. MALONE, W. PENNELL, D. STAMMER, LUGINBILL, J. S. AND COMPTON, R. I. 2011. Fish B. SEMTNER AND W. WASHINGTON. 2004. The effects of climate change on water resources in the passage and entrainment in the North Fork Little West: introduction and Overview. Climatic Change Snake River drainage, Wyoming. Wyoming Game 62: 1–11. and Fish Department Administrative Report, Cheyenne, WY. BEETLE, D. E. 1989. Checklist of recent Mollusca of Wyoming. Great Basin Naturalist 49(4): 637–645. MANDEVILLE, L., PARCHMAN, T. AND C. A. BUERKLE. 2015. Genomic analyses of sucker hybridization in COMPTON, R. I. 2013. Toxicity of rotenone to Burbot. Wyoming Game and Fish Department the upper Colorado River basin. Final Report to Administrative Report, Cheyenne, WY. the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Cheyenne, WY. CRCT CONSERVATION TEAM. 2006. Conservation strategy for Colorado River Cutthroat Trout RHEA, D. 2015. Seasonal movements among (Oncorhynchus clarkii pleuriticus) in the states of fragmented populations of Colorado River Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Colorado Division Cutthroat Trout in the Cottonwood Creek of Wildlife, Fort Collins, CO.

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Aquatic Basins Wyoming Game and Fish Department Green River Basin

drainage. Wyoming Game and Fish Department Administrative Report, Cheyenne, WY. WGFD. 2011. Annual fisheries progress report on the 2010 work schedule. Wyoming Game and Fish RHEA, D. AND A. GARDINER. 2012. Distribution and Department, Cheyenne. abundance of Colorado River Cutthroat Trout in

tributaries within the upper Green River basin, WGFD. 2012. Annual fisheries progress report on the Wyoming. Wyoming Game and Fish Department 2011 work schedule. Wyoming Game and Fish Administrative Report, Cheyenne, WY. Department, Cheyenne. SEAVY, N.E. T. GARDALI, G.H.GOLET, F.T. GRIGGS, C.A. HOWELL, R. KELSEY, S.L. SMALL, J.H.VIERS, WGFD. 2013. Annual fisheries progress report on the AND J.F.WEIGAND. 2009. Why climate change 2012 work schedule. Wyoming Game and Fish makes riparian restoration more important than Department, Cheyenne. ever: recommendations for practice and research. Ecological Restoration 27:330-338. WGFD. 2015. Annual fisheries progress report on the 2014 work schedule. Wyoming Game and Fish SENECAL, A. C. 2011. Assessment of habitat Department, Cheyenne. availability and use patterns for Flannelmouth Suckers in the upper Bitter Creek, Wyoming. WGFD. 2016. Annual fisheries progress report on the Wyoming Game and Fish Department 2015 work schedule. Wyoming Game and Fish Administrative Report, Cheyenne, WY. Department, Cheyenne. UDWR. 2009. Rangewide conservation agreement and strategy for Roundtail chub (Gila robusta), Bluehead WYOMING GAME AND FISH COMMISSION. 2009. Sucker (Catostomus discobolus), and Flannelmouth Strategic Habitat Plan. Cheyenne, WY. Sucker (Catostomus latipinnis). Utah Division of ZAFFT, D.J. AND E.A. BEAR. 2009. Guidelines for the Wildlife Resources, Salt Lake City, UT. collection of fish voucher specimens. Wyoming WGFD. 2010. Wyoming aquatic invasive species Game and Fish Department Administrative management plan. Wyoming Game and Fish Report, Cheyenne, WY. Department Report. Cheyenne, Wyoming.

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