4-02CW271 Supplemental Data

• Case Number: 02CW0271
• Stream Name: La Sal Creek
• Watershed: Gunnison
• Water Division: 4
• Water District: 61
• County: Montrose
• Instream Flow App - Doc Type: Supplemental Data

Stream Segment Summary: Colorado -Utah State to Dolores River
Segment: Colorado -Utah Stateline to Sharp Canyon
Upper Terminus: Colorado -Utah Stateline at
(Latitude 38° 19' 38 ") (Longitude 109° 03' 35 ")
Lower Terminus: Sharp Canyon at
(Latitude 38° 19' 26 ") (Longitude 108° 59' 32 ")
Counties: Montrose
Length: 4.0 Miles
USGS Quad(s): Paradox, Ray Mesa
Flow Recommendation: No ISF Recommendation/Water Availability Concerns
Segment: Sharp Canyon to Dolores River
Upper Terminus: Sharp Canyon at
(Latitude 38° 19' 26 ") (Longitude 108° 59' 32 ")
Lower Terminus: Dolores River at
(Latitude 38° 16' 43 ") (Longitude 108° 55' 51 ")
Counties: Montrose
Length: 6.0 Miles
USGS Quad(s): Ray Mesa
Flow Recommendation: 5.1 cfs (March 15th — June 30th)
1.9 cfs (July 1st — October 31st)
3.0 cfs (November 1St — March 14th)
Summary
The information contained in this report and the associated instream flow file folder forms the
basis for staff's instream flow recommendation to be considered by the Board. It is staff's
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 La Sal Creek
to the CWCB for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program. La Sal 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 streamflows because La Sal Creek provides important habitat for sensitive fish
species.
La Sal Creek is a tributary of the Dolores River, and the portion of the creek within Colorado is
approximately 10.0 miles long. La Sal Creek originates on the east side of the La Sal Mountains
in Utah at approximately 10,700 feet, and terminates at the confluence with the Dolores River at
an elevation of approximately 4900 feet. The creek is located in Montrose County. The total
drainage area of the creek within Colorado is approximately 64 square miles. The drainage area
upstream of Spring Creek within Colorado is approximately 20.5 miles. La Sal Creek generally
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