FLOOD10288

• County: Gunnison
• Community: Upper Gunnison
• Basin: Gunnison
• Title: Upper Gunnison-Uncompahgre Basin Phase 1 Feasibility Study Final Report
• Date: 1/1/1989
• Prepared For: Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority
• Prepared By: HDR Engineering, Inc.
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

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Improvements in water quality have also benefited fisheries. Development
of a mine waste treatment facility at the Keystone Mine above Crested Butte
has improved the water quality of Coal Creek, a tributary of the Slate River.

Streams in the study area with special regulations that limit anglers to
the use of artificial lures and/or artificial flies include segments of
Archuleta Creek, Cochetopa Creek, Los Pinos Creek, East River, Gunnison River
below Almont, and the Lake Fork of the Gunnison as shown on Figure 4.1. The
same segments of Archul eta Creek, Cochetopa Creek, and Los Pi nos Creek are
designated as catch and release waters also. Special regulations on Blue Mesa
Reservoir, Taylor Park Reservoir, and Lake San Cristobal limit the bag,
possession and size limit for Mackinaw trout to one fish 20 inches or larger.
Other special regulations allow snagging of Kokanee salmon on Blue Mesa
Reservoir, Morrow Point Reservoir, and Taylor Park Reservoir from September 1
to January 31.

A major enhancement project was undertaken by the CDOW in 1987 on the S-
mile stretch of the Gunnison River immediately downstream of Almont, Colorado.
In the fall of 1987, the Colorado Wildlife Commission authorized a new special
regu1 at i on for that segment of the Gunni son Ri ver whi ch 1 imi ts fi shi ng to
artificial flies and lures only and the bag, possession and size limit to two
trout 16 inches or larger. This regulation is part of a program intended to
establish a self-sustaining wild rainbow trout population in the Upper
Gunn i son Ri ver. The object i ve of the enhancement program is to develop a
trophy si ze fi shery that wi 11 support many more fi shermen at 1 ess cost than
was possible with the previous put and take fishery.

Locations where catchable (6 inches +) trout were stocked in 1986 and/or
1987 are shown in Figure 4.2. A stocking program in 1982 on the Lake Fork of
the Gunn i son between Sloan Lake and the towns He of Sherman i nvo 1 ved the
reintroduction of the Colorado River cutthroat trout, a native species.

In 1985, the Colorado Division of Wildlife began restocking brook trout
into Lake San Cri stoba 1 and began to reduce the number of stocked rainbow

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