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<br />Summary <br />The information contained in lhis report and lhe associated instream flow file folder forms lhe <br />basis for staff s instream flow recommendation to be considered by the Board. It is staff's <br />opinion lhat the information contained in this report is sufficient to support lhe findings required <br />in Rule 5.40. <br /> <br />Colorado's Instream Flow Program was created in 1973 when lhe Colorado State Legislature <br />recognized "lhe need to correlate lhe activities of mankind with some reasonable preservation of <br />lhe natural environment" (see 37-92-102 (3) C.R.S.). The statute vests lhe CWCB with the <br />exclusive aulhority to appropriate and acquire instream flow and natural lake level water rights. <br />In order to encourage other entities to participate in Colorado's Instream Flow Program, the <br />sta1ute directs lhe CWCB to request instream flow recommendations from olher state and federal <br />agencies. The Bureau of Land Management recommended this segment of Potter Creek to the <br />CWCB for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program. Potter Creek is being considered for <br />inclusion into the Instream Flow Program because it has a natural environment lhat can be <br />preserved to a reasonable degree with an instream flow water right. The BLM is very interested <br />in protecting stream flows because Potter Creek provides spawning habitat for sensitive species <br />and supports a diverse riparian community. <br /> <br />Potter Creek is 19.2 miles long. It begins near Columbine Pass on lhe Uncompahgre Plateau at <br />an elevation of approximately 9,100 feet and terminates at lhe confluence with Roubideau Creek <br />at an elevation of approximately 5,200 feet. The entire 9.0-mile segment addressed by lhis report <br />is located on federal lands. Potter Creek is located wilhin Montrose Coun1y. Potter Creek <br />generally flows in a northeasterly direction. <br /> <br />The subject of this report is a segment of Potter Creek beginning at lhe BLM-USFS Boundary <br />and extending downstream to confluence with Roubideau Creek (see Map Appendix D). The <br />proposed segment is located soulhwest of Delta. The staff has received only one <br />recommendation for lhis segment, from the BLM. The recommendation for lhis segment is <br />discussed below. <br /> <br />Instream Flow Recommendation(s) <br /> <br />BLM recommended 4.0 cfs, summer, and 1.8 cfs, winter, based on its June 4 and June 5, 2003, <br />data collection efforts (see Appendix A). The modeling results from this survey effort are within <br />lhe confidence interval produced by lhe R2Cross model. <br /> <br />land Status Review <br /> <br /> Total Length Land Ownership <br />Upper Terminus Lower Terminus (miles) % Private % Public <br />BLM-USFS Roubideau Creek 9.0 0% 100% <br />Boundary <br /> <br />Biological Data <br /> <br />The BLM has conducted field surveys of the fishery resources on this stream and have found a <br />natural environment that can be preserved. As reported in the letter from BLM to lhe CWCB <br />"Fishery surveys indicate lhat lhe stream environment is presently in stable condition, and <br />supports a self-sustaining speckled dace fishery. This stream also provides spawning habitat for <br /> <br />-2- <br />