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<br />Counties: Delta County <br />Length: 5.2 miles <br />USGS Quad(s): Chalk Mountain, Electric Mountain, Spruce Mountain <br />Flow Recommendation: <br /> <br />3.2 cfs (Flow 1) May 1 - August 15 <br />1.5 cfs (Flow 2) August 16 - October 31 <br />1.0 cfs (Flow 3) November 1 -c April 30 <br /> <br />Summary <br />The information contained in this report and the associated instream flow' file- folder forms the <br />basis for staffs instream flow recommendation to be considered by the Board. It is staffs <br />opinion that the information contained in this report is sufficient to support the findings required <br />in Rule 5.40. <br /> <br />Colorado's Instream Flow Program was created in 1973 when the Colorado State Legislature <br />recognized "the need to correlate the activities of mankind with some reasonable preservation of. <br />the natural environment" (see 37-92-102 (3) C.R.S.). The statute vests the CWCB with the <br />exclusive authority to appropriate and acquire instream flow and natural lake level water rights. <br />In order to encourage other entities to participate in Colorado's Instream Flow Program, the <br />statute directs theCWCB to request instream flow recommendations from other state and federal <br />agencies. The United States Forest Service (USFS) recommended this segment of Dyke Creek to <br />the CWCB for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program. Dyke Creek is being considered for <br />inclusion into the Instream Flow Program because it has a natural environment that can be <br />preserved to a reasonable degree with an instream flow water right. The USFS is very interested <br />in protecting stream flows because Dyke Creek is currently an unregulated stream for much of its <br />length. Forest Service investigations (unpublished) have suggested that this is a fully functioning <br />aquatic system that is contributing towards the agency stewardship mission of protecting <br />sustainable ecosystems. This stream provides occupied habitat for native Colorado River <br />Cutthroat Trout. Establishment of an instream flow water right would be consistent with the <br />Conservation Agreement and Strategy For Colorado River Cutthroat Trout, April 2001, which <br />has a stated goal of "To maintain areas which currently support abundant Colorado River <br />cutthroat trout and manage other areas for increased abWld<j11ce". <br /> <br />Dyke Creek is 6.8 miles long. It begins on the Eastern flank of Chalk Mountain at an elevation <br />of approximately 10,200 feet and terminates at the confluence with West Muddy Creek at an <br />elevation of approximately 8,600 feet. The entire 6.8-mile segment addressed by this report is <br />located on federal lands. Dyke Creek is located within Delta County.' The total drainage area of <br />the creek is approximately 4.7 square miles. Dyke Creek generally flows in an easterly direction. <br /> <br />The subject of this report is a segment of Dyke Creek begiIUling at an Unnamed Lake at 10,225 <br />feet in elevation and extending downstream to the confluence with West Muddy Creek, elevation <br />8550 feet (see Map Appendix D). The proposed segment is located 20 southeast of the Town of <br />Collbran. The staff h"s received only one re.commendation for this segment,from the USFS. <br />The recommendation for this segment is discussed below. <br /> <br />Instream Flow Recommendation(s) <br /> <br />USFS recommended 3.2 cfs, spring and summer; 1.5 cfs late summer and fall; and 1 cfs, winter, <br />. based on its June 18, 2003 data collection efforts (see Appendix A). Three cross sections were <br /> <br />- 2- <br /> <br />n <br />