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<br />. <br /> <br />Summary <br /> <br />The information contained in this report and the associated instream flow file folder forms the <br />basis for staffs instream flow recommendation to be considered by the Board, It is staffs <br />opinion that the information contained in this report is sufficient to support the findings required <br />in Rule 5.40. <br /> <br />Colorado's Instream Flow Program was created in 1973 when the Colorado State Legislature <br />recognized "the need to correlate the activities of mankind with some reasonable preservation of <br />the natural environment" (see 37-92-102 (3) c.R.S,). The statute vests the CWCB with the <br />exclusive authority to appropriate and acquire instream flow and natural lake level water rights. <br />In order to encourage other entities to participate in Colorado's Instream Flow Program, the <br />statute directs the CWCB to request instream flow recommendations from other state and federal <br />agencies, The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recommended this segment of Big Blue <br />Creek to the CWCB for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program. Big Blue Creek is being <br />considered for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program because it has a natural environment <br />that can be preserved to a reasonable degree with an instream flow water right.. The BLM is <br />very interested in protecting stream flows because Big Blue Creek is one of the most important <br />fishery and riparian habitat managed by the BLM's Gunnison Field Office. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Big Blue Creek is a tributary of the Blue Creek a tributary of the Gunnison River and is <br />approximately 22.5 miles long, It begins on the slopes of Uncompahgre Peak in the Big Blue <br />Wilderness Area at an elevation of approximately 12,500 feet, and terminates at the confluence <br />with Blue Creek at an elevation of approximately 8000 feet. Of the 7.5 mile segment addressed <br />by this report, approximately 50% of the segment, or 3.25 miles, is located on federal lands, <br />while the remainder of the segment, 3.25 miles, is located on private lands, The creek is located <br />within Gunnison County. The total drainage area of the creek is approximately 55.5 square <br />miles, Big Blue Creek generally flows in a northerly direction, <br /> <br />The subject of this report is a segment of Blue Creek beginning at the confluence with Failes <br />Creek and extending downstream to the Big Blue Ditch Diversion. This segment is located <br />north of the village of Cimmaron and Morrow Point Reservoir. To date, the CWCB has already <br />appropriated an instream flow water right on a segment of Big Blue Creek from Fall Creek to <br />Soldier Creek. The segment that is the subject of this report is located further downstream, from <br />Failes Creek to the Big Blue Ditch Diversion, The staff has received only a recommendation <br />from the Bureau of Land Management on this segment. The recommendation for this segment <br />is discussed below. <br /> <br />Instream Flow Recommendation{s) <br /> <br />BLM's instream flow recommendation is for 11.25 cfs (May 1 - October 31), and 10.5 cfs <br />(November 1 to April 30). <br /> <br />Land Status Review <br /> <br /> Total Length Land Ownership <br />Upper Terminus Lower Terminus (miles) % Private % Public <br />Failes Creek Big Blue Ditch 7,5 50% 50% <br /> <br />. Approximately 50% of the reach is located on federal lands managed by the BLM the other 50% <br />is private land, <br /> <br />- 3 - <br />