19

• Board Meeting Date: 7/11/2007
• Description: ISF Section - Willow Creek and Beaver Creek New Appropriations in Moffat County
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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BURF:\l.: or LA1\D ~'lA:\r\(jF\1E~T
Cllllll',lJlI Stilte Ofli~'c
2X)(I YlIungfiL'ld Slr~~.'l
I.a~l'\\'~l,ld. CllltlraJlI XIl21:"-7(l'J3

United States De.partlncnt of the Interior

CO-932
7~5()

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DEe 1 4 2005

NIl'. Dan Mernm<ln
Coloradl) Water ConservatIOn Board
] 313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203

DcaI' ~1r Memman:

The Burcau of Land Management (BL~) IS writlllg this leuer to formally communicate Jt~ lnstream
flow rewmmendation for Beaver Creek. located III Water DivISIon 6.

Location and Land Status. Beaver Creek is tributary to the Green RIver near the Colorado-Utah
border in Brown's Park. Thi~ recommendatIOn covers the stream re.Kh begmning at the confluence
with:! Bar Creek ,md extends downstream [0 the Colorndo-Utah border. Arproxllllatdy 96c;./.. of the
5.35- 1T1\le reach IS federally owned, whIle the remaining 4rk is pnvately owned.

Biologicall Summar)'. BeLlver Creek IS classified as a small, high gradient stream with a stable
l'hannel .md large substrate. Cover. woody debns. water tempcratures. and aquatic Jnse~t denSIty are
excellcnt for supporting salmonid populatIons. Fishery surveys inJIL'ate the stream cnVln)nmcnt
supports self-sust.llnmg populations of mottled sculpm. hrook trout. and Colorado RJ\'c~r Cutthroat
TI\)Ul. The rip~man (ommunlty IS Vlgor01l5 and JI\'ersc. provldmg sufflClent cover for m[llntail1l1lg
water temperatures suitable for salmonids even during low tlow. high temperature periods.

R2Cross Analysis, BLM's data analYSIS. comdmated wJ[h the DiVISion of Wildlife, mdkatcs thilt
the following flows arc needed 10 protect the fIshery and natural environment to a reasonable dcgrel'.

1.8 cubic feet per second IS rec()mmended for the high temperature penod from May I to
October 31. This recommendatIOn IS dnvcn by the average velocity cntena and \'v'cUed
perimeter criten<i. Many portions of thiS reach have large substrate. and It IS important to
provide adequate velocity :md phYSical habitat in thIS type of envIronment for fish spawning
and incubatIon of eggs. Protecting flows dunng thIS tune penod IS also Important for
recharging the alluvial aqUifer. which discharges water to the stream and maintallls 110\\ levels
dunng "Her summer.
1.1 cut)\(: feet per second IS rec.:ommcnded from Novt'mher 1 through April 30 ThiS
recommendatIon IS driven by the average depth critena. This now rate will alk)\\' fish to
survive in pools. provide suffiCient phYSical habitat 1Il nmes between pools, and will prevent
the nparian envIronment from being senolJsly stressed.