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<br />':" <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br /> <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />BIll Owens, Governor <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br /> <br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE <br />AN EQUAl OPPORTUNITY EMPlOYER <br />Bruce McCloskey, Director <br />6060 Broadway <br />Derwer, Cobrado 80216 <br />Telephone: (303) 297-1192 <br /> <br />For Wildfi/t- <br />For Prople <br /> <br />May 5, 2006 <br /> <br />Mr. Ted Kowalski <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />Water Supply Protection Section <br />1313 Shennan Street, Room 723 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br /> <br />Re: Arkansas River Instream Flow Analysis and Recommendation. <br /> <br />Dear Mr, Kowalski, <br /> <br />The purpose of this letter is to transmit the Colorado Division of Wildlife's (DOW) opinion regarding a <br />proposed 100 cfs instream flow recommendation for the Arkansas River below Pueblo Reservoir in Pueblo <br />County, The 100 cfs instream flow recommendation is a result from preliminary field work investigations <br />performed by DOW and discussion between several parties, including the Colorado Water Conservation <br />Board (CWCB) staff and the City of Pueblo. The CWCB requested the DOW to collect instream flow data <br />and provide them with an opinion regarding the benefits of such a recommendation. Because this was an <br />expedited request, the amount of time for field work was limited. With more time, more in-depth studies <br />could have been perfonned on this very hydraulically complicated stream reach. However, the DOW has <br />been able to collect a sufficient amount of data at four different cross-sections located throughout the stream <br />reach. As discussed in more detail below, DOW has reviewed the data collected to date and believes a 100 <br />cfs year-round instream flow would preserve the natural environment to a reasonable degree, as long as the <br />stream environment continues to benefit, to some extent, from the higher summertime flows provided by <br />downstream senior water rights. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />General Backeround <br />The subject of this instream flow analysis begins at the outlet of Pueblo Reservoir and extends downstream <br />to the confluence with Fountain Creek. This segment of river is located within the City of Pueblo and is <br />greatly affected by its urban setting. The urbanization of the riparian corridor has an affect on the natural <br />characteristics of the stream environment and the stream hydraulics, The resulting modification of the <br />stream hydraulics and natural hydrology has had an affect on the natural streambed composition and <br />hydraulic geometry, The existing stream channel has been designed and for altered to convey large volumes <br />of water efficiently without flooding, This segment functions as an urban corridor stream, and must be able <br />to handle a higher frequency of greater magnitude stonn events due to the large amount ofimpervious areas <br />located within the watershed, To accomplish this task, urban streams generally have a limited number of <br />obstructions located within the ch8lU1el that provide cover or holding areas for fish. In general, to improve <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />OEPARThENT OF NAnJRAL RESOURCES, Russel Geooge, ExeculNe Director <br />WILDlIFE COMMISSION. Jetlruy CrawloId. Ct\air. Tom 8u11<e, VlceCt\air. Ken Tones. 5ecreIary <br />Members. Elemald Black . Rick Enslrom. Philip James . 0aiIe O'Neal . iliad Phelps . Robert Shoemaker <br />Ex Olftcio MembefS, Russell Geooge and Don Ament <br />