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Summary The information contained in this report and the associated instream flow file folder forms the basis for staffs instream flow recommendation to be considered by the Board. It is staffs 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 (BLM) recommended this segment of Possum Creek to the CWCB for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program. Possum 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 the stream has been historically stocked with Colorado River Cutthroat Trout, and the stream is very suitable for long-term management of a cutthroat population. Possum Creek is a tributary of Canyon Creek and is approximately 6.0 miles long. It begins between Haypress Lake and Deer Lake at an elevation of approximately 10200 feet, and terminates at the confluence with the Canyon Creek at an elevation of approximately 6,050 feet. Of the 5.8 mile segment addressed by this report, approximately 75% of the segment, or 4.4 miles, is located on federal lands, while the remainder of the segment, 1.4 miles, is located on private lands. The creek is located within Garfield County. The total drainage area of the creek is approximately 6.8 square miles. Possum Creek generally flows in a southwesterly direction. The subject of this report is the entire length of Possum Creek, from the headwaters to the confluence with Canyon Creek. This segment is located northwest of Glenwood Springs. The staff has received only one recommendation on this segment, from the Bureau of Land Management. The recommendation for this segment is discussed below. Instream Flow Recommendation(s) BLM recommended 2.4 cfs, summer, and 1.9 cfs, winter, based on its August 29, 1996, data collection effort (see Appendix A). The modeling results from this survey effort are within the confidence interval produced by the R2Cross model. Land Status Review Upper Terminus Headwaters Lower Terminus East Canyon Creek Total Length (miles) 5.8 Land Ownership % Private % Public 25% 75% Approximately 75% of the reach is located on federal lands managed by the BLM. - 2 -