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<br />, <br /> <br />.e <br /> <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 Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) recommended this segment of Lizard <br />Head Creek to the CWCB for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program. Lizard Head Creek is <br />being considered for inclusion into the Instream Flow Program because it has a natural <br />environment that can be preserved to a reasonable degree with an instream flow water right. <br />The CD OW is very interested in protecting stream flows because Lizard Head Creek supports a <br />wide variety of aquatic macroinvetebrates indicative of high quality water and it supports a <br />healthy riparian community, The high quality water from upstream tributaries such as Lizard <br />Head Creek are vital to the continued improvement of San Miguel basin water quality. With <br />continued water quality improvement, the San Miguel basin's fish population should also <br />continue to improve. <br /> <br />Lizard Head Creek is a tributary of the Lake Fork of the San Miguel River. This stream is <br />approximately 1,7 miles long. Lizard Head Creek originates northwest of Ophir at <br />approximately 10,200 feet and terminates at the inlet of Trout Lake at approximately 9,325 feet. <br />The creek is located in San Miguel County. The total drainage area of the creek is <br />approximately 3.0 square miles. Lizard Head Creek generally flows in a northerly direction. <br />There are no significant tributaries to the creek within the reach. The subject of this report is a <br />1.7 mile segment of Lizard Head Creek beginning at its headwaters and extending to the inlet of <br />Trout Lake. (see Figure 1). This segment is located northwest of the Town ofOphir. To date, <br />the staff has received only one recommendation for this reach. This recommendation is <br />discussed below, <br /> <br />Instream Flow Recommendation(s) <br />The CDOW has recommended a 1.1 cfs summer flow and a 0.8 cfs winter flow. <br /> <br />land Status Review <br /> <br /> Total Length Land Ownership <br />Upper Terminus Lower Terminus (miles) % Private % Public <br />Headwaters Inlet Trout Lake 1.7 0% 100% <br /> <br />This segment is approximately 100% public land. 100% of the public land is managed by the <br />USFS (See attached Figure 1). <br /> <br />Biological Data <br /> <br />The CDOW has conducted field surveys of the fishery resources on this stream and have found a <br />natural environnlent that can be preserved, As reported for this reach of stream in CDOW'S <br />recommendation letter to the CWCB, no fish were collected; this is not to be interpreted in such <br /> <br />- 2 - <br />