BOARD00154 ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 3/13/2007
• Description: ISF Section - Notice of 2008 Instream Flow Recommendations and Summary of ISF Workshop
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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TU and the CDOW are forwarding this stream flow recommendation to the Board to meet
Colorado's policy "... that the wildlife and their environment are to be protected, preserved,
enhanced, and managed for the use, benefit, and enjoyment of the people of this state and its
visitors ... and that, to carry out such program and policy, there shall be a continuous operation
of planning, acquisition, and development of wildlife habitats and facilities for wildlife-related
opportunities" (See ~33-1-101 (1) c.R.S.). The CDOW Strategic Plan states "[h]ealthy aquatic
environments are essential to maintain healthy and viable fisheries, and critical for self-
sustaining populations. The [CDOW] desires to protect and enhance the quality and quantity of
aquatic habitats."

Como Creek is approximately 5.6 miles long. It begins on the east side of Mount Albion at an
elevation of approximately 10,500 feet and terminates at the USFS Boundary at an elevation of
approximately 8600 feet. Of the 4.2 mile segment addressed by this report, approximately 95%
of the segment, or 4.6 miles, is located on public lands. Como Creek is located within Boulder
County. The total drainage area of the creek is approximately 5.6 square miles. The Como
Creek generally flows in a southeasterly direction.

The subject of this report is a segment of the Como Creek beginning at its headwaters and
extending downstream to the USFS Boundary. The proposed segment is located north of the
town ofNederland. The recommendation for this segment is discussed below.

Instream Flow Recommendation(s)

TV and CDOW are recommending 2.90 cfs, summer, and 0.80 cfs, winter, based on their data
collection efforts. This recommendation is based on the physical and biological data collected to
date and does not incorporate any water availability constraints.

. 2.90 cubic feet per second is recommended is required to maintain the three principal
hydraulic criteria of average depth, average velocity and percent wetted perimeter;

. 0.80 cubic feet per second is required to maintain two of the three principal hydraulic
criteria.

The modeling results from this survey effort are within the confidence interval produced by the
R2CROSS model (see Table 1).

Land Status Review

Total Length Land OwnershiD
Upper Terminus Lower Terminus (miles) % Private % Public
Headwaters USFS Boundary 4.2 5% 95%

95% of the public lands are managed by the USFS.

Biological and Field Survey Data

The CDOW and TV, in September 1988, June and July of 2006, collected stream cross section
information, natural environment data, and other data needed to quantify the instream flow needs
for this reach of Como Creek. Como Creek is classified as a minor stream (between 4 to 9 feet

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