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.. ~... IN REPLY REFER TO: United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Colorado State Office 2850 Youngfield Street Lakewood. Colorado 80215-7093 .;. www.co.blm.gov CO-932 7250 DEe 1 9 2002 Mr. Dan Merriman Colorado Water Conservation Board 1313 Sherman Street, Room 721 Denver, Colorado 80203 Dear Mr. Merriman: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is writing this letter to formally communicate its instream flow recommendation for Fourmile Creek, located in Water Division 3. . Location and Land Statns: Fourmile Creek is tributary to Saguache Creek, approximately 20 miles west of the community of Saguache, The stream reach that was surveyed begins at the United States Forest Service boundary and extends 2,3 miles to the confluence with Saguache Creek. The entire reach flows through lands owned and managed by BLM. Approximately 60 percent of this reach runs through lands owned and managed by BLM, while the remaining 40 percent of the reach is in private ownership, Biological Summary: Fishery surveys indicate that the stream environment is in stable condition, and supports a self-sustaining brook trout fishery. Channel stability, bank stability, water quality, and pool habitat are good for salmonids. However, high erosion, low flows, and occasional high stream temperatures limit the fishery, If the continued existence of the fishery is to be assured, it is important to provide stream flows to prevent further stress to the fishery. R2Cross Analysis: BLM collected two data sets on Fourmile Creek. Only one data set produced a recommendation that is within the R2Cross confidence interval. BLM intends to return to this stream system at a later date to gather more information about flow requirements and water availability in the summer months. In the meantime, BLM recommends the following flows to protect the natural environment to a reasonable degree: 0.2 cubic feet per second is recommended year-round, This flow meets both the wetted perimeter and average depth criteria, and provides an average velocity of 0.6 feet per second. This flow should provide adequate fish mobility between pools, and it should provide adequate habitat to .