BOARD01594

• Board Meeting Date: 1/27/2004
• Description: ISF Section - Instream Flow Appropriations - Roubideau Creek
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

IN REPI ,'I' I~EI.ER TO

United States Department of the lnterior

BUREAU Of' LAND MANAGEMENT
Colorado State Olliec
2850 YoungfieldSlrecl
Lakcwood, Colorado 80215-7093

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www.co,hlm.gov

CO-932
7200

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Mr, Dan Merriman
Colorado Water Conservation Board
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203

Dear Mr. Merriman:

The Bureau of Land Management (ELM) is writing this letter to formally communicate its instream flow
recommendation for Roubideau Creek, located in Water Division 4,

Location and Land Status, The Roubideau Creek watershed is located approximately six miles southwest
of Delta, The stream reach that was surveyed begins at the confluence with Moore Creek and extends 14,4
miles downstream to the BLM boundary with private lands on the western edge of the Uncompahgre Valley.
Approximately 86 percent of the reach is owned and managed by BLM, while the remaining 14 percent is in
private ownership.

Biological Summary. Fishery slllrveys indicate that the stream environment is presently in stable condition
and supports a self-sustaining speckled dace fishery. The stream also provides sizable amounts of spawning
habitat for sensitive cool-water species including the longnose sucker and round.tailed chub. The quality of
the fishery is improving but is pn:sently only in poor to fair condition becanse of localized bank instability
problems and lack of cover, Accordingly,.it is important to provide stream flows in order to prevent further
stress on the fishery and to assist in the rehabilitation of the fishery.

R2Cross Analysis. BLM's data analysis, coordinated with the Division of Wildlife, indicates that the
following flows are required to protect the fishery and natural environment to a reasonable degree:

. 21.0 cubic feet per second is recommended for the April I to October 31 high temperature period.
This recommendation is driven by the depth criteria, Meeting the depth criteria is important for
insuring that the fish population has sufficient access to spawning gravels, Roubideau Creek has a
very large channel so sizable flows are required to obtain sufficient spawning depths.

. 10.0 cubic feet per second is recommended for the November I to March 31 low temperature period,
This recommendation is driven by the wetted perimeter criteria, Given the paucity of pools in the
lower parts of the reach, adequate physical habitat elsewhere in the stream is especially important
during winter.