Stream: West Fork SF of Slater Creek (Upper 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 staffs 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 Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) and Trout Unlimited (TU) recommended this segment of West Prong South Fork of Slater Creek to the CWCB for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program. West Prong South Fork of Slater 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. West Prong South Fork of Slater Creek is 5.5 mile long. The West Prong South Fork of Slater Creek (West Prong) originates on the northern flank of the Elkhead Mountains just west of Bears Ears Peaks at an elevation of 10,082 feet. It flows generally northward for 5.5 miles through the Routt National Forest to its confluence with the South Fork of Slater Creek at an elevation of 8,034. This proposed ISF reach covers 4.58 miles and is located entirely on Forest Service Land. West Prong South Fork of Slater Creek is located within Routt and Moffat Counties. The total drainage area of the creek is approximately 6.93 square miles. The subject of this report is a segment of West Prong South Fork of Slater Creek beginning at the Headwaters and extending downstream to the headgate of Decker Ditch No. 1. The proposed segment is located approximately 20 miles northeast of Craig. Staff has received one joint recommendation for this segment, from the CDOW and TU. The recommendation for this segment is discussed below. Instream Flow Recommendations CDOW & TU recommended 4.9 cfs (March 1 — July 31), 3.5 cfs (August 1 — October 31) and 2.5 cfs (November 1 — February 29) based on their data collection efforts and CWCB staff's water availability analysis. Land Status Review Upper Terminus Lower Terminus Total Length (miles) Land Ownershi % Private % Public Headwaters Headgate of Decker 4.58 0% 100% Ditch No. 1 100% of the public lands are managed by the USFS. -2-