BOARD02052

• Board Meeting Date: 8/15/1995
• Description: Notice of Board Meeting
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

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Mr. Skip Underwood
Page 2
May 24, 1994

After thorouqh review of the trout habitat analysis, the CDOW has
concluded that the Joint Operations Plan will produce conditions of
total fishery habitat in the Cache La Poudre River basin above
Poudre Park which are equal to or slightly more favorable than by-
pass flows identified by the Forest service in draft environ~ental
documents. It is also clear that .both the plan flows and by-pass
flows represent a siqnificant improvament in trout habitat over
that which occurs under currently existing conditions. In reaching
this conclusion, the Division fully recognize. that certain reaches
of stream in the poudra basin would continua to .ba dewatered during
winter months under the plan in exchange for anhancement of winter
flows to other river reaches, primarilY the mainstem Cache La
Poudre River below the confluence of Joe Wright Creek.

The recently completed habitat analysis suggests that losses of
trout habitat in Joe Wright Creek below Joe Wright Reservoir and La
Poudre Pass Creek below Long Draw Reservoir will be recovered in
portions of the mainstam river extending downstream for 43 miles.
Loss of trout habitat in Joe Wright Creek and La poudre Pass Creek
represents less than one-halt of one percent of the total trout
habitat in the Poudre River Buin above Poudre Park. Winter
releases of water from Joint Operations Reservoirs would positively
impact trout habitat in the mainstem which comprises 95 percent of
total trout habitat in the upper Poudre basin above poudre Park.
Moreover, habitat analysis indicates that enhancement of Novelllber -
March trout habitat for the enti~e upper basin through the Joint
Operations Plan could ranqe from 2 to 17 percent over suqgested by-
pass flows, dependinq on month, trout lifestage, and flow
alternative. This enhancement would largely Come in the form of
additional pool habitat for adult trout 'aurinq critical winter
months, thereby increasinq opportunities for winter survival.

Additionally, Division biologists believe that benefits to benthic
invertebrate and riparian systems could accrue under flows released
by tha Joint Operations .Plan.

The Division of Wildlifa manages aquatic habitat and fishinq
recreation opportunities to meet the neQds of a broad and diverse
public in the context of many other historical water uses. We
believe the Joint Operations Plan strivQQ to achieve a meaningful
balance between improving flow conditions and aquatic habitat on
the one hand, and maintaining reasonable historical water use by
human populations on the other. CDOW thus views the Plan as a
reasonable' and effective alternative approach to flow manaqement
and to the maintenance of broad based fishery habitat within the
Cache La Poudre River basin.