21

• Board Meeting Date: 7/11/2007
• Description: ISF Section - Pine River Water Acquisition
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

CD OW intends to continue monitoring these reintroduced fish to determine if natural reproduction will
occur.
Because the Pine River supports populations of blue head sucker, flannelmouth sucker and Colorado River
cutthroat trout, it should be noted, that the CDOW and several other state and federal agencies are involved
in developing Conservation and Management Plans for these species. The intention of these plans is to
increase populations and distributions ofthese species, thereby assisting in the long-term persistence of each
species. The success of such plans could potentially curtail the need for federal listing of these species
under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). These species are not cU11'ently federally listed.

Pine Rivel' Instream Flow Data Summal'"
The stream cross section data was analyzed using the R2CROSS program. The R2CROSS output was
evaluated using the methods described in Nehring (1979) and Espegren (1996) to determine the flows
required to preserve the natural environment to a reasonable degree. The Tennant Method (a.k.a. ]\;[ontana
Method) in conjunction with the stream cross section data collected was used to determine flows that would
improve the natural environment. The Tennant Method is based on percentages of average annual flow
derived from recorded hydrologic records.

The CD OW selected two different and unique sites for stream cross section data collection. The first site
was located on property owned by the Cool Water Ranch (CWR Site) and is approximately 2.5 miles
downstream of the confluence of Jack Creek and l!4 mile downstream from the Division Engineer's stream
gage on the Pine River. This site is located in the na11'OW confined portion of the Pine River Valley. The
second site was located on property owned by a private land owner near a pedestrian foot-bridge (FB Site)
and is located approximately 7.5 miles downstream of the CWR Site and 10 miles downstream of the
confluence of Jack Creek. This site is located in the wider unconfined portion of the Pine River Valley.

Cool 'Vater Ranch Site
The CWR Site is located within the na11'ower confines of the upper Pine River Valley and in the upper 1/3 of
the proposed stream reach. The CDOW collected stream cross section data at seven different locations
within this site. The average width of these seven cross sections was approximately 70 feet. The summer
flow recommendations, which meet 3 of 3 criteria and were within the accuracy range of the R2CROSS
model, range from 112 cfs to 72 cfs. The winter flow recommendations, which meet 2 of3 criteria and were
within the accuracy range of the R2CROSS model, range from 75 cfs to 30 cfs (see Table 1 below).

Table 1: Cool Water Ranch Site:

Date XS# Q QRange 3/3 2/3
4/7/04 1 60.7 154-24.6 103 40
4/7 /04 2 59.2 148-23.7 72 30
4/7 /04 '" 57.2 143-23.0 112 ---
.)
4/7 /04 4 63.0 160-26.0 100 ---
4/7/04 5 75.4 188-30.0 83 45
4/7 /04 6 66.6 173-28.0 72 61
4/7 /04 7 65.6 163-26.0 92 75
A vera~e 90 50

Averaging the seven summer flow recommendations within range, results in a 90 cfs recommendation.
Averaging the five winter flow recommendations within range, results in a 50 cfs recommendation.

Foot-BI'id!!:e Site
The FB Site is located in the middle of the Pine River Valley and in the lower 1/3 of the proposed stream
reach. The CDO\V collected stream cross section data at four different locations within this site. The
average width of these four cross sections was approximately 110 feet. The summer flow recommendations,