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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />Historic Use/Historic Return Flow: <br /> <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />Creek further reduce available flows. This proposed acquisition <br />could increase flows available to the junior instream flow water <br />right. In addition, restoration of a portion of the natural hydrograph <br />could improve or enhance habitat for all life stages of the resident <br />Brook trout population, and could also improve conditions for <br />spawning and recruitment of Rainbow trout. Stacking the acquired <br />right with the existing instream flow water right will provide <br />protection for the restored portion of the natural hydrograph. <br /> <br />Blue River - The Board currently holds instream flow water <br />rights on the subject segments of the Blue River. The Division of <br />Wildlife has designated the Slue River as a Gold Medal stream for <br />Brown and Rainbow trout. In 1987, when the Board appropriated <br />the existing in stream flow water rights on the Blue River, the <br />Division of Wildlife conducted detailed studies of fishery flow <br />needs, and recommended a minimum flow that could be expected <br />to preserve the natural environment to a reasonable degree. This <br />proposed acquisition could also improve the natural environment <br />to a reasonable degree by restoring flows to the Blue River, and <br />when stacked with the existing instream flow water right, <br />increasing available habitat for both Brown and Rainbow trout. <br /> <br />From Colorado Decision Support System <br />32 years with diversion records <br />(Some years water taken, no record) <br /> <br />First day of use = May 1 (1981) <br />Last day of use = October 31 (1976,1978) <br />Maximum diversion rate = 8.5 cfs <br /> <br />Water has been used to irrigate pasture grass. <br /> <br />Diversions are 100% consumptive (no return flows) to Boulder <br />Creek and the Blue River down to a point approximately Y. mile <br />upstream from Slate Creek. <br /> <br />The Water Trust has provided an updated engineering report <br />(August 2004, Appendix 2) which evaluated historic diversions <br />using volumetric data from CDSS. The report estimated the <br />following maximum monthly diversions (cfs) for each of the <br />priorities: <br /> <br />Senior right <br />Junior priority <br /> <br />May <br />5.0 <br />1.5 <br /> <br />Sept Oct <br />5.0 3.2 <br />2.3 0 <br /> <br />June <br />5.0 <br />3.5 <br /> <br />July <br />5.0 <br />2.3 <br /> <br />7.3 <br /> <br />Aug <br />5.0 <br />2.3 <br /> <br />TOTAL (cfs) <br /> <br />6.5 <br /> <br />8.5 <br /> <br />7.3 <br /> <br />7.3 3.2 <br /> <br />The report also evaluated historic consumptive use for these rights <br />through 2003, which included the last 3 years of non-use. The <br />revised estimate of consumptive use is 73 AF/year. (The previous <br />study had estimated consumptive use to be 87 AF/year.) The <br />report also found that, while the junior priority right was fully <br />consumptive to the reach of stream between the point of diversion <br />and the point of return flow, below that point, all of the <br /> <br />3 <br />