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<br />001050 <br /> <br />ELK RIVER <br />U.S. FOREST SERVICE, COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br /> <br />Summary of Findings <br /> <br />The Elk River from its sources to the village of Clark, Colorado, <br />about 35 miles, is eligible for designation as a National Wild and <br />Scenic River. About 17 miles meets wild river standards; 12 miles <br />can be classified as scenic, and 6 miles meets criteria for a <br />recreational river. The total river corridor includes 705 acres of <br />private land. If designation occurs, the Public Service Company's <br />Hinman Park reservoir, a source of cooling water for potential <br />coal-burning power plants, would probably be prohibited. <br /> <br />Costs <br /> <br />Public costs from 1979 to 2000 could range from $237,900 to <br />$1,146,200 including all developments, easements, administration, <br />and resource improvements. <br /> <br />Description <br /> <br />All of the segments of the Elk River designated for study are <br />within the Routt National Forest in Routt County, Colorado. The <br />entire North Fork, Middle Fork, and South Fork and the Elk River <br />main stem to Clark, Colorado, were included in the study area. <br />The North Fork rises at the foot of Big Agnes Mountain in the <br />Mount Zirkel Wilderness and flows 12.8 miles to the main stem. It <br />plunges down a rocky, irregular course into pools in a narrow <br />canyon. Below this point, the North Fork changes and the massive <br />2,OOO-foot walls of the gorge with the river meandering between <br />them can be seen. At Diamond Park, the river traverses a large <br />meadow of private land. Below Diamond Park, the river flows <br />through spruce forests at a relatively gentle grade. The South <br />Fork rises at Dome Lake in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness just below <br />timberline. It flows 10.8 miles through bogs and marshes except <br />for an initial plunge below Dome Lake and a final plunge into the <br />main stem. The Middle Fork and the mainstem source is just below <br />the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. It is a small stream surrounded by <br />morainal deposits and a spruce-fir forest. The first 3 miles of the <br />11.7 mile reach to Clark is on a gentle grade. The stream then is <br />enlarged by the North Fork and it enters narrow, angular, and <br />steep Box Canyon, which is 30 feet deep. The South Fork enters <br />the main stem just above Hinman Park, and the Elk changes from a <br />stream to a river with boulders, pools, riffles, and rapids. About <br />550 of the 700 private acres in the study are in this reach. <br /> <br />The main use of the private land is for second homes and guest <br />ranches. Recreational use includes backpacking, horseback riding, <br />and snowmobiling. <br /> <br />25 <br />