9589

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9589
• Author: Colorado Division of Wildlife.
• Title: Aquatic Wildlife Management Plan Yampa River Basin, Colorado.
• USFW Year: 1998.
• USFW - Doc Type: Denver, CO.
• Copyright Material: NO

2. Elk River
This drainage is located north of Steamboat Springs and
its confluence with the Yampa River is just east of Milner near
Highway 40. The waters within this drainage include 38 lakes
(1,637 ac) and 83 streams (441 mi). Only Hahn's Peak Lake
(40 ac), the lower reaches of the Elk River (39 mi), and
Willow Creek between Steamboat Lake and its confluence with
the Elk River (9 mi) are managed as put-and-take and put-and-
grow trout fisheries via stocking under Intensive Management
categories. Twenty-eight (28) high lakes (247 ac) and
Steamboat Lake (1,081 ac) are managed as put-and-grow trout
fisheries. Wild trout fisheries are managed for in 54 stream
reaches covering 283 miles. Pearl Lake (167 ac) is managed
as a quality (big fish) fishery maintained by natural recruitment
or minimal stocking under the Special Management category
310. Four streams (10.4 mi) and one lake (39 ac) are targeted
for management and restoration activities as Colorado River
cutthroat trout habitat. These waters are Lost Dog Creek (WC
#26193) and Agnes Creek (WC #25901) on the North Fork of
the Elk River, Miller Creek (WC #24078) in the Deep Creek
drainage north of Milner, Lester Creek (WC #23254) above
Pearl Lake, and Luna Lake (WC # 68115) on the north fork of
Mad Creek. Twenty-three (23) stream reaches (99 mi) and
three lakes (30 ac) are managed for conservation of other
native aquatic wildlife. All waters but one within this drainage
have been classified as protected habitat with respect to
whirling disease (WD) and can be stocked if necessary with
WD negative fish only. Willow Creek below Steamboat Lake
(WC #22842) has tested positive for WD. Boreal toads are
known to occur in the Diamond Park area of the North Fork
of the Elk River (WC #20819). (Appendix C-Table 2)
STREAMS
Wild tfol
LAKES
Put-and-grow
Coldwater lakes
High lakes
Private 2.1 %
Native/Unique Species
Colorado River
cutthroat trout
2.4%
Figure 6. Aquatic wildlife management by category in the
Elk River drainage.
DRAFT - January 13, 1998
13
Put-and-take
Coldwater streams
Live/Unique Species
Put-and-take
Coldwater lakes 2.4%
wwm? m M rat m M IM Gam m MM Mae Mr I IS
Colorado River
cutthroat trout
2.4%