Michael (Mick) Porter is a fisheries biologist with the Army Corps of Engineers. The federal government funded the Corps to build the river channel through the Nature Center. The purpose of the channel is to assist in the rehabilitation of the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow, an endangered species. Mick, assisted by the FRGNC research committee, is conducting a research project to assess the variables that effect the minnows' use of the channel. The research is looking at river flow, dissolved oxygen levels, water temperature, and turbidity. Mick is approved by the NM Game and Fish Department to net, count and release the minnows. Minnows have been found since the project began. On June 3, I was participating as a research committee member and took these pictures. That day 37 RG silvery minnows were netted. Later on July 2 Mick found 84 minnows at an embayment between the two channel bridges. This year, thanks to a heavy Spring run off, the channel has water and there are minnows in it!
Article written by Jo Fairbanks