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<br /># <br /> <br />Roaring Fork Waters bed Stream Flow Survey <br />Project Synopsis <br />Submitted by: Roaring Fork Conservancy, April 2004 <br /> <br />f- <br /> <br />Background and Purpose <br />Increased pressures from growth, drought conditions, and demands for water beyond the <br />Roaring Fork Watershed are resulting in altered flow conditions within stretches of rivers and <br />streams, threatening the health of aquatic and riparian environments. The Roaring Fork <br />Watershed is known for premier trout fishing, drawing tourists to experience its rivers, including <br />two stretches that are designated by the Colorado Division of Wildlife (COOW) as Gold Medal <br />waters (the Fryingpan River from below Ruedi Reservoir to the Roaring Fork River; and the <br />Roaring Fork River from the Crystal River confluence to the Colorado River). The diverse flow <br />regimes within the watershed, ranging from the Crystal River which has no out-of-basin <br />diversions (but large local diversions), to the Fryingpan River, which is dammed and has <br />significant headwater diversions, provide a unique setting to define stream flow issues in relation <br />to ecological resources. <br />The connection between stream. flows and aquatic ecosystems -and, in a broader <br />perspective, between the health of the environment and the economic vitality of the Valley, has <br />heightened awareness in seeking balanced solutions to enhance and protect stream flows+ The <br />purpose of this project is to provide a basis for community decisions regarding water <br />management, growth controls, and conservation priorities. More specifically, the project will <br />help interests in the watershed to address the following questions: <br />a What are the ecologically critical stream reaches in the watershed? <br />o Do these reaches have enough water? <br />IJ How can we restore flows to impacted reaches? <br />o What are the key "threats" to critical stream reaches? <br />a How will increased water demands (both in-basin and out-of-basin) affect stream flows? <br />o How will changes in water use affect stream flows? <br />o How will projected changes in water availability (for example, through global climate <br />change) affect stream flows? <br />a How does the Roaring Fork Basin influence the broader Upper Colorado Basin? <br /> <br />Project Goal <br />The Project goal is to develop a functional GIS database that is able to highlight flow <br />limited stream reaches, critical habitat zones, and occurrences of sensitive aquatic species, <br />ultimately linking habitat and species conditions to stream flow levels. The <br />database would include: <br />a Water rights information throughout the watershed; <br />o Locations and descriptions of major diversions (in-basin and trans-basin); <br />o Downstream calls; <br />o Existing instream flow protections and flow limited stream reaches; and <br />a Critical riparian and aquatic habitat zones. <br /> <br />c <br /> <br />Water quantity issues within the Roaring Fork Watershed have been an important topic <br />discussed within the forum of the Watershed Collaborative, a broad-based group of community <br />interests, planners, and managers from various jurisdictions within the Roaring Fork Valley" <br />