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Summary The information contained in this report and the associated instream flow file folder forms the basis for staff's instream flow recommendation to be considered by the Board. It is staff's opinion that the information contained in this report is sufficient to support the findings required in Rule 5.40. Colorado's Instream Flow Program was created in 1973 when the Colorado State Legislature recognized "the need to correlate the activities of mankind with some reasonable preservation of the natural environment" (see 37-92-102 (3) c.R.S.). The statute vests the CWCB with the exclusive authority to appropriate and acquire in stream flow and natural lake level water rights. In order to encourage other entities to participate in Colorado's Instream Flow Program, the statute directs the CWCB to request in stream flow recommendations from other state and federal agencies. The Bureau of Land Management recommended this segment of East Fork Dry Creek to the CWCB for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program. East Fork Dry Creek is being considered for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program because it has a natural environment that can be preserved to a reasonable degree with an instream flow water right. The BLM is very interested in protecting stream flows because the creek is a remote, undeveloped environment that supports a self-sustaining population of brown trout, and a riparian community that is in very good condition. East Fork Dry Creek is 10.0 miles long. It begins near the Silesca Forest Service Station and the South Divide Road on the southeastern flank of the Uncompahgre Plateau at an elevation of approximately 9,600 feet. It terminates at the confluence with the West Fork Dry Creek at an elevation of approximately 6,300 feet. Approximately 52% of the 1O.0-mile segment addressed by this report is located on federal lands. East Fork Dry Creek is located within Montrose and Ouray counties. The total drainage area of the creek is approximately 36.2 square miles. East Fork Dry Creek generally flows in a northerly direction. The subject of this report is a segment of East Fork Dry Creek beginning at the confluence with Beaver Dams Creek and extending downstream to the confluence with the West Fork. The proposed segment is located south of the City of Delta. The staff has received only one recommendation for this segment, from the BLM. The recommendation for this segment is discussed below. Instream Flow Recommendation(s) BLM recommended 3.60 cfs (April 1 to June 30),1.60 cfs (July 1 to July 31), 0.60 cfs (August 1 to February 28),1.60 cfs (March 1 to March 31)(see Appendix A). The modeling results from these survey efforts are within the confidence interval produced by the R2Cross model. Land Status Review Total Length Land Ownership Upper Terminus Lower Terminus (miles) % Private % Public Confluence with Confluence with Beaver Dams Creek West Fork Dry 10.0 48% 52% Creek -2-