7877

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7877
• Author: Anderson, R. M.
• Title: An Evaluation of Fish Community Structure and Habitat Potential for Colorado Squawfish and Razorback Sucker in the Unoccupied Reach ‎(Palisade to Rifle)‎ of the Colorado River, 1993-1995.
• USFW Year: 1997.
• USFW - Doc Type: FA Proj. SE-3,
• Copyright Material: NO

STUDY AREA

The study area is located between Rifle (RK 386; RM 240) and Palisade (RK 299; RM 186)
Colorado (Figure 1). The elevation of the river at Rifle is 1615 meters and is 1433 meters at Palisade
(5300 and 4870 ft, respectively). There are two diversion structures at the lower end of this river
reach that are barriers to upstream fish movements. The most upstream barrier is the Government
Highline Dam or Grand Valley project, located at RK 312 (RM 193.7). This dam was constructed
in 1917 and is about 5.2 m high. The downstream dam is the Price-Stub Dam located at RK 303
(RM 188.3). This dam is no longer used to divert flow, but it remains a problem for fish passage.

Three river gages are located within or close to the study area. The most upstream gage is
below the town of Glenwood Springs 1.0 kilometer downstream of the Roaring Fork River. The
Debeque gage is located 6 kilometers upstream of the town of De be que at RK 342 (RM 212.7). The
Cameo gage is located at RK 321 (RM 199.6),9 kilometers upstream from the Highline diversion
dam. The natural flow of the river in this reach is affected by transmountain diversions, storage
reservoirs, power development and diversions for inigation. All three gauging stations generally read
within 15% of each other (Table 1) based on USGS gage information (Ugland 1993). Unless
othelWise stated, the Cameo gage is used for presentation of flow information representing the reach.

Plateau Creek is the only major tributary entering the river between Glenwood and Cameo
and its confluence is 0.6 kilometers below the Highline dam at RK 311.4. The median flow (50%
exceedence flow) for Plateau Creek is 93 cfs (USGS 1995). Water is diverted at the Bluestone ditch
located at RK 346 (RM 214.8).

Table 1. Period of record and flow parameters for Glenwood, Debeque and Cameo gages on the
Colorado River.

Glenwood Debeque Cameo
Period of Record 1967-1993 1967-1993 1934-1993
Annual Runoff (Ac-Ft) 2478000 2722000 2804000
Mean Annual (cfs) 3420 3757 3870
10% Exceeds (cfs) 8030 8970 9680
50% Exceeds (cfs) 2080 2120 2100
90% Exceeds (cfs) 1320 1430 1350

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