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• Board Meeting Date: 7/21/2010
• Description: Stream & Lake Protection Section - Case Nos. 6-07CW061 and 6-07CW072: Applications of Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Linda Bassi, Esq July 7, 2010
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(Salvelinus fontinalis) population' - in addition, cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki) and
rainbow trout (0. mykiss) have been reported in the area by Larson, et al.
Figure 3 displays that there is potential to inundate approximately 100 feet of Silver
Creek within the National Forest Wilderness Area. However, additional boundary
surveys of this area are planned and such survey might conclude that the inundation
does not impact wilderness areas. In any event, inundation within the wilderness area
will be avoided unless specifically authorized pursuant to federal iaw.
Section 404 Permit. The diversion and storage of water into the Morrison Creek
Reservoir will also require a number Of Dermits and approvals at the federal, state, and
local levels prior to construction. At the federal level, a Section 404 Permit under the
Clean Water Act will be required from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), To
help determine the probability of whether or not a Section 404 Permit could be obtained
for the Project, the District completed a wetlands investigation of the Morrison Creek
Reservoir site. The District retained the services of IME, a company specializing in
wetland evaluation and permitting. During a 15 day period between April 14, 2008, and
November 6, 2008, IME identified and mapped wetland species within the study area.
1 he level of investigation, although detailed, is considered preliminary and additional
studies will be necessary in the future.
The field delineation methods used in the IME wetland delineation are those described in
Vegetation Sections of the 1987 Corps of Engineers Woffands Delineation Manual,
specifically: Step 7 — Characterize Each Plant Community Type, Stop 9 — Determine
Whether Hydrophytic Vegetation Is Prosont, and Stop 18 — Establish a Baseline as
Derined in the Routine — Onsite Inspection Methodology. No formal wetland sample
plots or field data sheets were evaluated in this initial evaluation. The primary emphasis
in the initial wetiand deiineation was to identify dominant plant species along the wetland
boundary as outlined in Step 7 of the Corps Manual.
Once the wetlands were identified, IME surveyed their location using GPS units capable
of sub-meter accuracy. The data files were downloaded and Inserted into 2 foot contour
interval topographic mapping and the potential acres of impacts calculated. Based upon
this study process the following findings were made:
1. Three wetland community types were identified within a 637.6 acre study area
including:
a. Tall Shrub Wetland Plants,
b. Mid-height Herbaceous Wetland Plant, and
c. Short Herbaceous Wetland Plants.
2 Within the entire study area, 50.3 acres of jurisdictional wetlands could be
impacted by the Project.
3 Within the smaller Silver Creek study area there are approximately 16.5 acres of
jurisdictional wetlands that could be impacted (Figure 3),
4 No fens or organic soils were found anywhere within the study area.
1 CWC8 Staff ISF Executive Summary Report for Morrison Creek (Lower Segment), undated
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