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<br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />IN REPLY REFER TO: <br /> <br />United States Department of the Interior <br /> <br />BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT <br />Colorado State Office <br />2850 Youngfield Street <br />Lakewood, Colorado 80215-7093 <br /> <br /> <br />u.s. DEPARTMENT OF TliE INT~ <br />BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMEr <br /> <br /> <br />www.co.blm.gov <br /> <br />CO-932 <br />7250 <br /> <br />DEe 1 5 2004 <br /> <br />Mr. Dan Merriman <br />Colorado Water. Conservation Board <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 721 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br /> <br />Dear Mr. Merriman: <br /> <br />The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is writing this letter to formally communicate its <br />instream flow recommendation for Maggie Gulch, located in Water Division 7. <br /> <br />Location and Land Status - Maggie Gulch is tributary to the Animas River approximately five <br />miles northeast of Silverton. The stream reach covered by the surveys conducted on BLM lands <br />runs from the headwaters to the confluence with the Animas River. Of the 4.74 mile reach, <br />approximately 64% is located on federal lands while the remaining 36% is privately owned. <br /> <br />Biological Summary - Fishery surveys indicate that the creek supports a cutthroat trout fishery. <br />The stream environment is presently in good condition and provides suitable substrate, channel <br />stability, water quality, and food supplies for salmonids. However, the stream is very steep and <br />high velocity, so pools and other spawning locations are limited. Accordingly, it is important to <br />provide stream flows that maintain the limited amount of physical habitat. <br /> <br />R2Cross Analysis - BLM's data analysis, coordinated with the Division of Wildlife, indicates <br />that the following flows are needed to protect the fishery and natural environment to a reasonable <br />degree. <br /> <br />2.5 cubic feet per second is recommended from May 1 to October 31. This <br />recommendation was derived by averaging two R2Cross surveys. The recommendation <br />is driven by the wetted perimeter criteria, because the stream channel has steep banks. In <br />this type of channel, 2.5 cfs is required to provide sufficient physical habitat for the <br />fishery during the summer months. <br />