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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Historic Use/Historic Return Flow:

Other Water Riahts in Proposed Reach:
(Appendix 6)

Potentiallniurv to Existina Riahts:

Creek further reduce available flows, This proposed acquisition
could increase flows available to the junior instream flow water
right. In addition, restoration of a portion of the natural hydrograph
could improve or enhance habitat for all life stages of the resident
Brook trout population, and could also improve conditions for
spawning and recruitment of Rainbow trout.

Blue River - The Board currently holds instream flow water
rights on the subject segments of the Blue River. The Division of
Wildlife has designated the Blue River as a Gold Medal stream for
Brown and Rainbow trout. In 1987, when the Board appropriated
the existing instream flow water rights on the Blue River, the
Division of Wildlife conducted detailed studies of fishery flow
needs, and recommended a minimum flow that could be expected
to preserve the natural environment to a reasonable degree, This
proposed acquisition could also restore flows to the Blue River,
increase available habitat for both Brown and Rainbow trout and
improve the natural environment.

From Colorado Decision Support System
32 years with diversion records
(Some years water taken, no record)

First day of use = May 1 (1981)
Last day of use = October 31 (1976,1978)
Maximum diversion rate = 8,5 cfs

Avg. first day of use = June 6
Avg, last day of use = September 3
Avg, maximum amount of water taken = 4,92 cfs

Water has been used to irrigate approximately 42 acres of
pasture grass. (Aerial photo analysis by Bishop-Brogden
indicates 63 acres were irrigated,)

Diversions are 100% consumptive (no return flows) to Boulder
Creek and the Blue River down to a point approximately Yo mile
upstream from Slate Creek,

Boulder Creek - There are several decreed water rights on
Boulder Creek, Only 3 ditches are currently diverting water.
According to the Water Commissioner, most of these ditches
divert water into adjacent drainages for use.

Blue River - There are five active decreed water rights located in
the subject reach of the Blue River. These water rights are
primarily used for irrigation and limited domestic uses at ranches
along the river. There are also several exhanges that operate to
diversions or storage upstream from Green Mountain Reservoir,
and several conditional water rights decreed in the reach.

Boulder Creek - The Peabody #1 Ditch was decreed in the
original adjudication for Summit County, and is senior to the
remaining active ditches on Boulder Creek. The donated water

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