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cold water fisheries but also may support warm water fisheries. The <br />segment of the Cache la Poudre River in the foothills of the higher <br />elevation of the Transitional zone (Figure 3) is an example of a stream <br />that seasonally may change from a cold water fishery to a warm water <br />fishery (Larimer -Weld Regional Council of Governments and Toups <br />Corporation, 1978). These transitional fisheries convert to warm water <br />fisheries within the Plains zone of the South Platte River basin. <br />Based on the 1979 Stream and Lake Evaluation Map (Colorado Division of <br />Wildlife, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Forest Service, <br />1979) (Figure 6), streams and reservoirs of the South Platte River basin <br />have been classified into four value class categories. This classification <br />system does not correspond to and should not be confused with the state's <br />water quality standards classification system. The fisheries <br />classification system is utilized to show the quality of the fishery and <br />the presence of rare or endangered species. All of the riverine system of <br />the Plains zone of the South Platte River basin has been classified as a <br />Class IV resource. This classification signifies that this fishery <br />resource is a limited fishery with the absence of threatened, endangered or <br />high- interest species. Foothills streams in the basin represent moderate <br />fishery resources with the occurrence of few high- interest species; <br />whereas, most of the headwaters at higher elevation represent Class I or <br />Class II resources. Class I streams are considered a highest -value fishery <br />resource and high- interest, threatened, and endangered species occur in <br />these streams. Habitat restoration of Class I or Class II streams would be <br />difficult if existing environmental conditions of the streams were <br />substantially altered. <br />Cold Water Fisheries - The upper South Platte River and its associated <br />tributaries are considered relatively productive trout streams (U.S. <br />Department of the Interior, 1978). These waters originate above <br />10,000 feet in elevation in the Alpine and Sub - Alpine zones <br />(Figure 5). Generally, the mountain waters are of high quality for <br />-12- <br />7- <br />L <br />7 <br />i <br />G <br />L I <br />j <br />r <br />