Laserfiche WebLink
<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />-3- <br /> <br /> <br />language prior to the Board Meeting, Staff is requesting the Board grant the Hearing Officer the <br />authority to approve a stipulation containing language providing the same level of protection to the <br />Specie Creek Instream Flow Recommendation as the language above and to allow the Hearing <br />Officer to vacate the Hearing in this case. <br /> <br />TECHNICAL INVESTIGATIONS <br /> <br />The Board was provided detailed information regarding all field data, studies and analyses for each <br />stream segment at the January 23, 2002, Board meeting. At that meeting the Board declared its <br />intent to appropriate the subject ISF water rights. <br /> <br />Chan2es to Ori2inal ISF Recommendations <br /> <br />Based on additional data and on information provided by the parties, the Staff recommends that the <br />Board make the following changes to the ISF recommendations: <br /> <br />Big Blue Creek <br />Failes Creek to the headgate ofthe Big Blue Ditch. No changes required. <br /> <br />Specie Creek <br /> <br />Unnamed tributary to the San Miguel River. Staff recommends that the language provide above or <br />language agreed to by the parties and approved by the Hearing Officer be included in the water court <br />decree for this segment. <br /> <br />Natural Environment Studies <br />The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) along with the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CD OW) <br />have conducted field surveys of the fishery resources on Big Blue Creek and Specie Creek and found <br />a natural environment which can be preserved. To quantify the resomces and to evaluate instream <br />flow requirements, the CDOW and BLM staff collected biologic and hydraulic data, and the CWCB <br />staffreviewed and analyzed this data. In addition staff reviewed all the data and comments provided <br />by all of the Parties and Participants in the Contested Cases. Based on the lesults of these <br />reviews/analyses, the CWCB staff prepared its Final Recommendation for the amount of water <br />necessary to preserve the natural environment to a reasonable degree for Big Blue and Specie Creeks <br />(see attached Final Instream Flow Recommendation). <br /> <br />Water Availability Studies <br />The CWCB staff has conducted an evaluation of water availability for this stream. To determine the <br />amount of water physically available for the Board's appropriation, the staff analyzed available <br />USGS gage records, available streamflow models, andlor utilized appropriate standard methods to <br />develop a hydrograph of median monthly flows. The staff relied upon the data submitted by all the <br />Parties into the record of the Contested Cases to determine the amount of water physically available <br />for appropriation, Based upon its analysis, the staff has determined that water is available for <br />appropriation on Big Blue and Specie Creeks to preserve the natural environment to a reasonable <br />degree without limiting or foreclosing the exercise of valid existing rights. <br /> <br />Flood Protection . Water Project Planning and Financing. Stream and Lake Protection <br />Water Supply Protection. Conservation P.1anning <br />