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. . . . . . . . . . r . ( j 1943 through water year 1949. At Pueblo, the average annual sus- pended sediment load for the period of record is 374 acre-feet. The gaging and sediment sampling station is located near the Fountain damsite, so this figure was used as the average annual,suspended sediment inflow at the damsite. Bedload was estimated at 15 percent. The total average annual sediment inflow into a reservoir at the Fountain site would be about 430 acre-feet. Apprxoimately 400 acre- feet of sediment would be deposited in the reservoir and the remain- der discharged downstream. The sediment reserve storage for a 100- year period of operation would be 40,000 acre-feet. 42. WATER RIGHTS. The state of Colorado has agreed to acquire the necessary water rights to establish and maintain a permanent pool of 20,000 acre-feet in Fountain Reservoir. In acquiring the reser- voir lands, it is proposed that the United States also acquire the water rights associated with the lands. The water rights would then be purchased by the State of Colorado at market value to assist them in maintaining the permanent pool. Water rights associated with lands proposed to be purchase~ in fee are tabulated in Table 4. 43. WATER QUALITY. A water quality study for the proposed Fountain Lake was conducted by the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station and was completed in July 1977. The study is presented as Appendix A of this report and contains conclusions and recommendations pertaining to the proposed Fountain Lake impoundment. 44. FISH AND WILDLIFE.' Faunal populations in the Pueblo area are varied, and individual species-range in size from the small ruby-throated hummingbird to the large, but infrequently seen, black bear. Some of the more prominent mammalian species include cotton- tail rabbits, prairie dogs, muskrats, beaver, skunks, foxes, raccoons, porcupines, coyotes, and deer. Avian species found within or adjacent to the Fountain Creek flood plain include pheasants, scaled quail, numerous species.of ducks, geese, kestrels, Cooper's hawks, red- tailed hawks, magpies, pigeons, swallows, swifts, red-shafted flickers, western hindbirds, meadowlarks, grackles, cowbirds, sparrows, blue- birds, starlings, killdeer, crows, ravens, and mourning doves. The wooded Fountain Creek flood plain provides significant nesting habi- tat for migratory as well as resident birds. The aquatic biology of Fountain Creek is in a depressed status due primarily to pollution and frequently occurring low water levels. No true sport fishery is present; however, several minnow-like, non- game species do occur. The aquatic invertebrate fauna also consists mostly of pollution tolerant and warm water tollerant species. Some improvement in the water quality of Fountain Creek has been noted and on this basis it is projected that improvement in the status of the aquatic biological system will occur. 17