ISFAPPC01673 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Summary • • The information contained in this report and the associated instream flow file folder forms the basis for staffs instream flow recommendation to be considered by the Boazd. It is staffs opinion that the information contained in this report is sufficient to support the findings required in Rule 5.40. Colorado's Instream Flow Program was created in 1973 when the Colorado State Legislature recognized "the need to correlate the activities of mankind with some reasonable preservation of the natural environment" (see 37-92-102 (3) C.R.S.). The statute vests the CWCB with the exclusive authority to appropriate and acquire instream flow and natural lake level water rights. In order to encourage other entities to participate in Colorado's Instream Flow Program, the statute directs the CWCB to request instream flow recommendations from other state and federal agencies. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recommended this segment of Canyon Creek to the CWCB for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program. Canyon Creek is being considered for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program because it has a natural environment that can be preserved to a reasonable degree with an instream flow water right. The BLM is very interested in protecting stream flows because the stream the stream has natural barriers that make it an excellent candidate for reintroduction of Colorado River Cutthroat Trout. Canyon Creek and is approximately 13.5 miles miles long. It begins neaz Adams Lake at an elevation of approximately 11,300 feet, and terminates at the confluence with the Colorado River at an elevation of approximately 5,650 feet. Of the 7.5 mile segment addressed by this report, 100% is located on federal lands. The creek is located within Garfield County. The total drainage area of the creek upstream of the Baxter Ditch #1 is approximately 18.7 square miles. Canyon Creek generally flows in a southwesterly direction. The subject of this report is 7.5 miles of Canyon Creek, from the confluence with Johnson Creek to the headgate of the Baxter Ditch #1. This segment is located northwest of Glenwood Springs. The staff has received only one recommendation on this segment, from the Bureau of Land Management. The recommendation for this segment is discussed below. Instream Flow Recommendation(s) BLM recommended 24.1 cfs, summer, and 13.5 cfs, winter, based on its August 29, 1996, and September 27, 2002, data collection efforts (see Appendix A). The modeling results from this survey effort are within the confidence interval produced by the R2Cross model. Land Status Review Total Length Land Ownershi Upper Terminus Lower Terminus (miles) % Private % Public Johnson Creek Baxter Ditch #1 7.5 0% 100% Approximately 100% of the reach is located on federal lands managed by the BLM. Biological Data The BLM has conducted field surveys of the fishery resources on this stream and have found a natural environment that can be preserved. As reported for this reach of stream in the letter to the CWCB "Fishery surveys indicate that the stream environment is in good condition, and supports aself-sustaining brook, brown and cutthroat trout fishery. Channel and bank stability, substrate and water quality is excellent for salmonids. However, a paucity of pools and sub- -2-