San Juan Recovery Implementation Program Grant: Studying Razorback Suckers

This project has the potential for natural recruitment in the river-reservoir habitat complex. With high abundance of fish below the Piute Farms Waterfall, one of the goals in this proposal is to identify the role the reservoir plays below the waterfall in the lower San Juan River. This will provide an understanding of the life cycle and ecology of Razorback Suckers in the San Juan River Basin.

The proposed studies will provide critical information that can be used to guide management decisions effecting water management within the system. First, the work will identify the status of native fish in the area below the waterfall. Second, this work and fish movement data will quantify seasonal use throughout the river and lake system. It is possible that access for the fish to the upper river from below the waterfall on a seasonal basis might help augment mainstem populations of native fishes. Finally this monitoring will evaluate the role of potential barriers to movement of fishes within the San Juan River Basin.