ISFAPPC03908

• Case Number: 03CW0268
• Stream Name: Horse Creek
• Watershed: Horse Creek
• Water Division: 5
• Water District: 53
• County: Eagle
• Instream Flow App - Doc Type: Supplemental Data

Precipitation Data
Staff reviewed local precipitation data sets from 2 different sites located around the Horse Creek
Drainage (see Precipitation Data in Appendix C). These sites include Glenwood Springs and
Shoshone. Table 3 shows the water year and the percent of average precipitation recorded at
each site.

Table 3: Precipitation Data as a percentage of Average.

Yea r
1 955
1 956
1 957
1 958
1 959
1 960
196 1
Average

G lenw ood
Springs
% Average
7 7 %
7 7 %
1 3 7 %
6 6 %
1 1 1 %
7 4 %
1 1 4 %
9 4 %

Shoshone
% Average
9 1 %
9 0 %
1 4 3 %
7 1 %
1 0 3 %
8 2 %
1 0 6 %
9 8 % I

Table 3 shows a slight variation of precipitation between the two precipitation sites. It is staff s
opinion that the 5 years of stream-flow data analyzed is representative of average water-years.

Existing Water Right Information

Staff has analyzed the water rights tabulation and consulted with the Division Engineer Office to
identify any potential water availability problems. There are several decreed surface diversions
within this reach of stream. According to the BLM, there are two sets of privately-owned water
rights in this reach. The first set is located at the top of the watershed and are owned by White
Hawk, Incorporated. These water rights include the George McCloskey Ditch, Nelson Ditch and
C.J. Gustafson Ditch. It should be noted that these water rights irrigate lands located outside of
the Horse Creek Watershed and no return flows accrue to Horse Creek from their operation (see
Appendix D). The other privately owned water right is the Horse Creek Diversion Ditch,
decreed for 0.5 cfs, which is proposed as the lower terminus for the instream flow reach.

Between these two sets of privately held water rights, the Bureau of Land Management holds the
following water rights in the middle of proposed reach: Snodgrass and Manners Ditch and the
Tuke Ditch No.1 (see Appendix D). It should be noted that the BLM rights are senior to all the
other water rights on Horse Creek. Therefore, operation of the BLM water rights guarantees
that at least 3.4 cfs is passed by the upstream headgate for McCloskey, Nelson, and Gustafson
water rights. Most of the acreage irrigated by the BLM water rights is tributary to Horse Creek,
so Horse Creek benefits from return flows from these water rights. Based on this analysis staff
has determined that water is available for appropriation on Horse Creek, from Headwaters to the
East Canyon Creek, to preserve the natural environment to a reasonable degree without limiting
or foreclosing the exercise of valid existing water rights.

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