BOARD00251

• Board Meeting Date: 5/24/2004
• Description: ISF Section - Boulder Creek Water Right Acquisition ‎(Summit County)‎
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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Proposed Method of Acauisition:

Proposed Use of the Water Riaht:

Proposed Reach of Stream:

Existina Natural Environment:

Natural Flow Reaime:

Potential Benefits of Donation:
(Appendices 4 & 5)

Purchase by Colorado Water Trust and donation to CWCB, The
Board will hold partial title to the acquired rights, The Water Trust
will hold title to the consumptive use portion of the water right
reserved for use downstream from the Blue River confluence with
Green Mountain Reservoir,

The Board could use the acquired rights to preserve and improve
the natural environment in Boulder Creek and the Blue River.
After the Board has completed instream flow use of the rights. the
consumptive use portion would be available to the Water Trust for
subsequent sale and use.

Boulder Creek- from the head gate of the Peabody #1 Ditch,
downstream approximately 3 miles to the confluence with the Blue
River.

Blue River-- Seqment 1: from the confluence of Boulder Creek
to the confluence with Slate Creek, a distance of about 4.2 miles,
Seqment 2: from the confluence of Slate Creek to the confluence
with Green Mountain Reservoir, a distance of approximately 6,9
miles,

Boulder Creek - Self-sustaining Brook Trout fishery (Confirmed
by Division of Wildlife field work September 2003)

Blue River - Gold Medal Water - Self-sustaining Brown and
Rainbow Trout fishery (confirmed by Division of Wildlife field work
September 2003)

Boulder Creek - Boulder Creek originates in the Eagle's Nest
Wilderness Area on the west side of the Blue River. The Peabody
Ditch diverts approximately Yo mile downstream from the
wilderness boundary, and is the highest diversion on the creek.
The drainage is steep and narrow, with few tributaries. A few
springs enter the drainage near the confluence with the Blue
River. The USGS operated a stream gage a short distance
upstream from the Peabody Ditch until 1994. The gage has since
been discontinued.

Blue River - The Blue River instream flow segments derive flow
from Dillon Reservoir releases (50 cfs) and tributary inflow,
primarily from the Eagle's Nest Wilderness on the west side of the
river. The Denver Water Board and Colorado Springs operate
substitutions and exchanges of water to storage upstream of
Green Mountain Reservoir. Other than a USGS gage located
downstream from Dillon Dam. there are no other stream gages
currently in operation on the Blue River.

Boulder Creek - The Board currently holds an instream flow
water right on Boulder Creek for 6 cfs during the summer, and 3
cfs during the winter, with a1977 adjudication, Staff analysis
indicates there are times during the late irrigation season when
Peabody Ditch diversions caused streamflows to drop below the 6
cfs instream fiow amount. Downstream diversions on Boulder

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