Proceedings of the Desert Fishes Council 2000

PROCEEDINGS OF THE DESERT FISHES COUNCIL - VOLUME XXX1I (2000 SYMPOSIUM) – PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 13, 2001
Apache-Sitgreaves, BR-Phoenix: BR is conducting engineering studies for installation of fish barriers on Blue
River.
Razorback sucker, Xyrauchen texanus. AZGFD, Arizona State University (ASU), Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), AZFRO-Parker: The annual razorback sucker census at Lake Mohave sampled 593 fish.
AZFRO-Parker: The first census for razorback sucker at Lake Havasu collected 38 fish and one bonytail, Gila
elegans. All were repratriates except for one razorback sucker. AZGFD: Grow-out of razorback suckers
continued at the AZGFD Bubbling Ponds Hatchery. Razorback suckers averaging 10 inches TL from Bubbling
Ponds were stocked into Lake Mohave, Lake Havasu, Colorado River at Parker Strip, and Verde River near
Childs. In addition, 90 large (avg. 450mm) razorback suckers and 14 bonytail were reared at Davis Cove, a
grow-out pond in Lake Mohave. Sampling of the Verde River to monitor reintroduced Colorado pikeminnow,
Ptychocheilus lucius, and razorback sucker was conducted. Between Beasley Flat and Childs, seven razorback
suckers were caught. All were in generally good health, with little parasite loading. No Colorado pikeminnow
were caught. Natives fishes made up 26% of the electrofishing catch. During investigations of the fisheries in
Fossil Creek drainage, two razorback suckers were captured in Stehr Lake, a small regulating reservoir of the
project. They were probably survivors of fish stocked there in the 1980s.
Desert pupfish, Cyprinodon macularius. AZFRO-Parker: Refugia for desert pupfish on Cibola and Imperial
national refuges were established and stocked. Fish were from the stock established from El Doctor, Sonora,
Mexico. AZESO: A highway flood-water retention basin in Tempe is currently proposed for stocking under a
Safe Harbor agreement with Gila topminnow and desert pupfish. The Safe Harbor agreement provides for
actions that promote conservation and recovery of the species by providing refugia sites, while allowing
landowners flexibility to remove species and habitat to baseline conditions if they desire. The agreement has
stipulations for monitoring of populations and habitats and function of the agreement and provides for funding
both the mitigation and monitoring provisions. An additional benefit from the action will be control of
mosquitoes, Hummus pestis [sic]. The permit for take of individuals under this agreement should be signed by
September 30. Other sites owned by the Arizona Department of Transportation may be used as additional
refugia sites for either species. AZGFD: Three reintroduced populations of desert pupfish were monitored.
Finley Tank supported pupfish of questionable heritage, and desert pupfish were absent from AD Wash and
Hidden Water Spring.
Quitobaquito pupfish, Cyprinodon eremus. AZFRO-Parker: Began work with the Pinacate and Greater Altar
Desert Biosphere Reserve to reestablish a native riparian zone along the Sonoyta River to benefit Quitobaquito
pupfish. National Park Service-Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument: Has been developing sampling
methodologies with ASU to assist in management and monitoring of the status of the population, working with
NFS-Tonto to provide methods for early detection of nonnative fishes, and proposing to build supplemental
holding facility at Park headquarters that would also serve for public education.
Gila topminnow [Sonoran topminnow], Poeciliopsis occidentalis. AZFRO-San Carlos: In spring 2000,
began work on the renovation of the third and final spring in the Bylas Springs complex, S1. Following barrier
modifications and removal of introduced riparian vegetation, the spring was successfully renovated with the
cooperation of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, AZGFD, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Environmental Protection
Agency, and AZESO. Gila topminnow from the original S1 stock are scheduled to be released into S1 in the fall
of 2000. Springs S2 and S3 were successfully renovated and restocked in 1996 and 1998, respectively. NFS-
Coronado: Last year's consultation with USFWS on grazing allotments resulted in mangement changes on
allotments in the Redrock Canyon drainage, where Gila topminnow are present. One existing exclosure was
extended, and another was built to enhance riparian and aquatic conditions for the species. Annual monitoring
of Gila topminnow and western mosquitofish in Redrock Canyon shows a generally downward trend in relative
abundance of topminnow over the past 11 years, with topminnow last year (October 1999) comprising 47% of
the total catch. BLM: In September, Gila topminnow were stocked into Lousy Canyon in the Agua Fria
drainage. This stream is already the site of a restoration stocking of Gila chub. This is the first new Gila
topminnow population started in the wild since 1993. AZGFD: Acute tolerances of Gila topminnow and western
mosquitofish to ammonia and high water temperatures, as well as their use of simulated emergent vegetation,
were determined in order to evaluate each species' potential to effectively control mosquito larvae in constructed
wetland habitats. Fifteen localities were monitored for presence of natural Gila topminnow populations. Only
ten of the locations continue to support topminnow: Bylas Spring, Middle (or “MZ”) Spring, Salt Creek,
Redrock Canyon below Cott Tank, Sonoita Creek below Patagonia Lake Dam, Monkey Spring, Fresno Canyon,
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