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<br />UPCO - Report on Fish Flows <br />1/7 /02 <br />Text added 3/6/03, 4/21/03 <br /> <br />Recreational fishing is an important resource in the UPCO study area" Commercial <br />guides and hobby fisherman utilize many streams and lakes. This use boosts the local <br />economy but more importantly is an activity associated with the lifestyle in this region. <br />Providing information on the timing and quantity of flows necessary for a healthy aquatic <br />environment is a critical outcome of the UPCO study. The criteria listed here is typically <br />different than CWCB in stream flows~ <br /> <br />QQ staff interviewed local commercial guides and consulted with CDOW to establish the <br />stream flow related parameters necessary for a healthy fishery. It was mutually agreed <br />that general criteria should be articulated that would apply to any stream reach~ Further, <br />it was agreed that the criteria should be based on the protection of brown trout juvenile <br />and adult habitat. <br /> <br />Listed below are general considerations that should apply to any regulated stream. Below <br />that is a description of specific flow considerations for identified stream segments~ <br />Sources of flows information are cited. Note that most commercial outfits get their flow <br />information from the nearest gaging station listed on Water Talk, USGS, or from CDOW. <br /> <br />General Rules That AUDrV to All Seements <br /> <br />1. Late season flows (>10/1) must be stabilized through the winter at the level that <br />occurred during spawning~ <br />2~ Changes in stream flows from diversions or releases should not exceed 50% spread <br />equally over a 24-hour period. Some segment specific exceptions apply and are <br />described below. <br />3~ Stream depths should be a consideration when air temperatures are high and water <br />temperatures are an issue for fisheries. High temperature associated with low flows <br />is one of the bigger concems~ <br /> <br />-------~~~~-~--~~~~-----------------~~~~-~-~~~~------~-~-~~~-~-----------~~~~~~~-~~-------------~-~-~-~~---- <br /> <br />Stream Reach: Blue River below Dillon Reservoir <br /> <br />Problem Identified: 1 p Cold water (<40-42 degree F) releases limit stream potential, <br />operations favoring increasing temperature (>48) would be <br />beneficial to fish and aquatic ]ife~ ***below <br />2~ Reservoir releases that decrease after spawning result in <br />freezing of redds and stranding of adults and emerging fry. <br />3. Inadequate flows do not provide necessary physical habitat for <br />fisht <br />4. Maximum safe wading flow is 500 cfs, 300 cfs is more <br />reasonable***below <br />