BOARD01733

• Board Meeting Date: 1/25/2005
• Description: ISF Section - Instream Flow Appropriations - Muddy Creek
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

STATE OF COLORADO

Bill Owens, Governor
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

DIVISION OF WILDLIFE

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Bruce McCloskey, Director
6060 Broadway
Denver. Colorado 80216
Telephone: [phone]

Mr. Dan Merriman and Mr. Todd Doherty
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Stream and Lake Protection Section
1313 Sherman Street, Room 723
Denver, Colorado 80203

Re: Colorado Division of Wildlife Instream Flow Recommendations for Muddy Creek.

Dear Dan and Todd,

The purpose of this letter is to officially transmit the Colorado Division of Wildlife's Instream Flow
Recommendations for Muddy Creek in Gunnison and Delta Counties, The reach of stream covered by
this flow recommendation is from the headwaters to the inlet of Crawford Reservoir. a distance of
approximately 9 miies, This reach of stream is located east of the Town of Crawford,

In the fall of 1998. the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW). with the assistance of staff from the
Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCS), collected stream cross section information, natural
environment data, and other data needed to quantify the Instream Flow needs for Muddy Creek, Field
surveys indicate that the stream environment is presently in stable condition and could support a cool or
coldwater fishery. The flow in Muddy Creek is, at times, dependant on irrigation retum flows. Muddy
Creek is classified as a minor stream (between 4 to 9 feet wide) and fishery surveys of other similar
streams, indicate the stream environment of Muddy Creek could support populations of white suckers,
blue head suckers, fathead minnows and speckled dace.

The stream cross section data was analyzed using the R2CROSS program. The R2CROSS output was
evaluated using the methods described in Nehring (1979) and Espegren (1996). The CDOW has
reviewed the data collected to date and based on that review recommends that the CWCS appropriated
the following flow amounts to preserve the natural environment of Muddy Creek to a reasonable degree:

. 3.8 cubic feet per second is recommended for May 1 through August 14, This flow is required to
maintain the three principal hydraulic criteria of average depth, average velocity and percent
wetted perimeter;

. 0.5 cubic feet per second is recommended for August 15 through April 30'. This flow is required
to maintain two of the principal hydraulic criteria of average depth and percent wetted perimeter.

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Russell George, Executive Director
WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Philip James, Chair. Jeffrey Crawford. Vice-Chair. Brad Phelps, Secretary
Members, Bernard Black. Tom Burke. Rick Enstrom. Claire 0' Neala Robert Shoemaker. Ken Torres
Ex Officio Members, Russell George and Don Ament