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<br />IN REPLY REFER TO. <br /> <br />United States Department of the Interior <br /> <br />BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT <br />Colorado State Office <br />2850 Youngfield Street <br />Lakewood, Colorado 802] 5-7093 <br /> <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br /> <br />www.co.b!m.gov <br /> <br />CO-93! <br />7250 <br /> <br />[')fC ' C; 2004 <br /> <br />Mr. Dan Merriman <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 72! <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br /> <br />Dear Mr. Merriman: <br /> <br />The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is writing this letter to formally communicate its instream <br />flow recommendation for Dry Creek, located in Water Division 4. <br /> <br />Location and Land Status - Dry Creek is tributary to the Uncompahgre River approximately two <br />miles south of the City of Delta. The stream reach covered by the surveys conducted on BLM lands <br />starts at the headwaters and runs to where the creek exits public lands at the edge of the Uncompahgre <br />Valley. Of the 10.34 mile reach, approximately 87% is located on federal lands while the remaining <br />13% is privately owned. <br /> <br />Biological Summary - Fishery surveys indicate that the upper part of the reach supports a migratory <br />trout fishery, while the lower part of the reach supports speckled dace. The stream environment is <br />presently in stable condition and improving, but it has had a history of human-caused erosion. <br />Evidence of improvement includes establishment of vegetation on point bars and gradual narrowing <br />of the channel. Channel stability, substrate, and cover arc suitablc for the fish population. However, <br />food sources are limited because of erosion and the stream experiences high temperatures at low flow. <br />Accordingly, it is important to provide stream flows that flush the system of sediments and keep <br />stream temperatures down. <br /> <br />R2Cross Analysis - BLM's data analysis, coordinated with the Division of Wildlife, indicates that the <br />following flows are needed to protect the fishery and natural environment to a reasonable degree. <br /> <br />7.30 cubic feet per second is recommended for the snowmelt runoff period from April 1 to <br />June 30. This recommendation was produced by averaging the results of two R2Cross <br />surveys, and it is driven by the wetted perimeter criteria. Dry Creek has a large channel <br />created by large snowmelt runoff flows and large thunderstorm events. Meeting the wetted <br />perimeter criteria is important for providing sufficient physical habitat. It is also important for <br />recharging the alluvial aquifer, which discharges water to the stream and maintains flow levels <br />during later summer. <br /> <br />3.00 cubic feet per second is recommended from July I to July 31 and from March I to March <br />