Stream: Cebolla Creek (Lower Segement) Executive Summary

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Staff Analysis and Recommendation 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 Cebolla Creek to the CWCB for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program. Cebolla 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. Cebolla Creek is approximately 44.0 miles long and begins at an elevation of approximately 10,400 feet and terminates at the confluence with Willow Creek at an elevation of approximately 7,520 feet. Of the 10.8 mile segment addressed by this report, approximately 30% of the segment is located on federal lands. Cebolla Creek is located within Hinsdale & Gunnison Counties and generally flows in a northerly direction. The subject of this report is a segment of the Cebolla Creek beginning at the confluence of Spring Creek and extending downstream to the Powderhorn USGS Gage. The proposed segment is located approximately 15.5 miles east of Lake City. Staff has received only one recommendation for this segment, from the BLM. The recommendation for this segment is discussed below. Instream Flow Recommendation The BLM is recommending 26.0 cfs (April 1 — September 30), 22.0 cfs (October 1 — November 15) and 13.5 cfs (November 16 — March 31) based on their data collection efforts and staff's water availability analyses. Land Status Review Upper Terminus Lower Terminus Total Length (miles) Land Ownership % Private % Public Confluence w/ Powderhorn 10.8 60% 40% Spring Creek USGS Gage 25% of the public lands are within a state wildlife area and are managed by the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the remaining 75% are managed by the BLM. -2-