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Summary The information contained in this report and the associated instream flow file folder forms the basis for staff's instream flow recommendation to be considered by the Board. It is staff s opinion that the information contained in this report is sufficient to support the findings required in Rule 5.40. Colorado's Instream Flow Program was created in 1973 when the Colorado State Legislature recognized "the need to correlate the activities of mankind with some reasonable preservation of the natural environment" (see 37-92-102 (3) C.R.S.). The statute vests the CWCB with the exclusive authority to appropriate and acquire instream flow and natural lake level water rights. In order to encourage other entities to participate in Colorado's Instream Flow Program, the statute directs the CWCB to request instream flow recommendations from other state and federal agencies. The Bureau of Land Management recommended this segment of Dry Creek to the CWCB for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program. Dry Creek is being considered for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program because it has a natural environment that can be preserved to a reasonable degree with an instream flow water right. The BLM is very interested in protecting stream flows because this creek supports migratory trout in the upper reaches and spectacled dace in the lower reaches. In addition, the creek supports a large and diverse riparian community that is improving in quality as grazing management has been improved. Dry Creek is 35.16 miles long. It begins at the confluence of the East and West Forks on the southeastern flank of the Uncompahgre Plateau at an elevation of approximately 6,300 feet. It terminates at the confluence with the Uncompahre River at an elevation of approximately 5,000 feet. Approximately 87% of the 10.3-mile segment addressed by this report is located on federal lands. Dry Creek is located within Montrose County. The total drainage area of the creek is approximately 39 square miles. Dry Creek generally flows in a northerly direction. The subject of this report is a segment of Dry Creek beginning at the confluence of the East Fork and West Fork and extending downstream to the Uncompahgre Valley Project Canal. The proposed segment is located south of the City of Delta. The staff has received only one recommendation for this segment, from the BLM. The recommendation for this segment is discussed below. Instream Flow Recommendation{s) BLM recommended 7.30 cfs (April I to June 30), 3.00 cfs (July 1 to July 31),1.20 cfs (August 1 to February 28), and 3.00 cfs (March 1 to March 31) (see Appendix A). The modeling results from these survey efforts are within the confidence interval produced by the R2Cross model. land Status Review Upper Terminus Lower Terminus Confluence with Uncompahgre Valley Project Canal and Siphon Total Length (miles) Land Ownershio % Private % Public Confluence with East and West Forks 10.3 13% 87% -2- ...