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<br />The ..~ <br />Nature'" <br />ronservancv" <br />Mr. Dan \'0,<r~411\(f.'i,,~ciing Director <br />Mr. Dan Merriman. Section Chief <br />Stream and Lake Protection Section <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />13 13 Sherman Street, Room 721 <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br /> <br />REceIVen <br />OCT 3 1 2000 <br /> <br />CoIarado Water Consel-iClIIVIl .... . <br /> <br />October 27, 2000 <br /> <br />RE: Instream flow recommendations for the San Mig\l~1 River from Fall Creek to Horsefly Creek <br /> <br />Dear Mr.s McAulliffe and Merriman, <br /> <br />As the program matlager for I'ne Nature Conselvancy"s S~n iviiguei R.iver Program, i Stro1\giy suppurt tile <br />Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Colorado Division of Wildlife's (CDOW) submission of <br />instream flow recommendations for protected flows in the' San Miguel River from Fall Creek to Horsefly <br />Creek, The Nature Conservancy has iden"lied th" "dn Miguel R:ver as a priority area for conservation in <br />Colorado. Because the river is undammed and its flows respond to the natural processes of ice tlows, <br />. snow melts and summer monsoons, the S~n Miguel harbors one of the longest and highest-quality <br />stretches of deciduous and evergreen riparian forests and shrublands in the West. The 1,550 square mile <br />watershed provides h,abitat for at least I 1 known globally :rare riparian plallt communities and supports at <br />least 6 globally rare animals, 16 globally rare plants, and .l2 declining species. <br /> <br />The Nature Conservancy, with its three preserves on the river, is the largest private landholder on the San <br />Miguel. The Conservancy holds these preserves because of the globally signiticant riparian habitat found <br />along the San Miguel. The riparian vegetation depends on the flows in the river for support and <br />regeneration. Our Canyon Preserve. between Specie andi Saltado Creeks, is located in the stretch of river <br />covered by the BLM and CDOW's instream tlow recomt,llendations. This reach of the San Miguel River <br />presently has no instream t]ow protection. The recommended flows are presently available in the river and <br />will not impact any existing water rights trOI)! the river. These tlows will protect the river',s tishery but <br />will also provide benetits to riparian vegetation and minimize impacts from river ice tormation and ice <br />tlows that occur in the river during the winter months, , <br /> <br />f ," <br />The SanMiguel River's riparian habitat is a globally siglliticant resource. [urge you to accept the BLM <br />and CDOW's recommended instream flow. Please cont~ct me if you have any questions or would like <br />any further information. ' <br /> <br />Sincerely, <br /> <br />~~~. <br /> <br />Caroline Byrd <br />San Miguel Program Manager <br /> <br />SOUTHWEST COLORADO PROGRAM <br />SAN MIGUEL PRESERVES <br />P.O. Box 3140 <br />TELLURIDE, CO 81435 <br />970-728-5291 FAX 970-728-5877 <br /> <br />PHINI'1!D ON REcYCLE/} PAPBR <br /> <br />e <br /> <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />(I <br />