South Platte River Basin Assessment Report

• Description: Prepared for the CWCB
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 8/1/1982
• Author: Woodward-Clyde Consultants
• Title: South Platte River Basin Assessment Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

L
are identified in general documents and maps that are available from the
Colorado Division of Wildlife (1981). 1
The diverse topography and vegetation types within the South Platte River
Army Corps Engineers
basin support a variety of fish and wildlife. Vegetation throughout the
'
basin has a pronounced effect on the quantity and quality of native water
of
available for fish and wildlife populations. This biological assessment
'
emphasizes important terrestrial and aquatic species of the basin and
used to discuss ecological
briefly highlights those species that are considered rare, threatened,
'
endangered or otherwise unique (Colorado Division of Wildlife, 1978).
zones include the Alpine
zone,
'
Vegetation
Foothills zone, and the
upper
lant species identified in Colorado
Over one -half of the total number of P
P
occurs above 11,500 feet
occur in the Front Range and adjacent prairies comprising the South Platte
'
River basin (Weber, 1972). These species occupy the available habitat from
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the extensive eastern Colorado plains to the alpine tundra of the Front
the South Platte
'
Range mountains. Presently, the native vegetation of
River basin is being subjected to major natural changes, including fire and
flooding, and man - related changes including urbanization, agriculture,
,
logging, livestock grazing, and energy development. Many acres of the
native flora have been altered or eliminated due primarily to heavy grazing
,
and irrigation. Introduced weeds are common in the basin; these tend to be
natives of southeastern Europe and Asia Minor, primarily because of the
,
similarities in climate (Weber, 1972).
by the U.S.
Army Corps Engineers
(1977),
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Based upon information compiled
of
five broad ecological life zones have been
used to discuss ecological
conditions of the basin. These five life
zones include the Alpine
zone,
'
the Sub - Alpine zone, the Montane zone, the
Foothills zone, and the
upper
Sonoran zone (Figure 5). The Alpine zone
occurs above 11,500 feet
in
'
elevation and characteristically is above
the upper limits of tree
growth. The Sub - Alpine zone, varying in elevation from 10,000 to I
-10- I