WSP01414

• File Number: 8449.918
• Description: South Platte Projects
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Date: 8/1/1982
• Author: CWCB
• Title: South Platte River Basin Assessment Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

cold water fisheries but also may support warm water fisheries. The

segment of the Cache la poudre River in the foothills of the higher

elevation of the Transitional zone (Figure 3) is an example of a stream

that seasonally may change from a cold water fishery to a warm water

fishery (Larimer-Weld Regional Council of Governments and ToupS

Corporation, 1978). These transitional fisheries convert to warm water

fisheries within the Plains zone of the South Platte River basin.

Based on the 1979 Stream and Lake Evaluation Map (Colorado Division of

Wildlife, u.s. Environmental Protection Agency and u.s. Forest Service,

1979) (Figure 6), streams and reservoirs of the South Platte River basin

have been classified into four value class categories. This classification

system does not correspond to and should not be confused with the state1s

water quality standards classification system. The fisheries

classification system is utilized to show the quality of the fishery and

the presence of rare or endangered species. All of the riverine system of

the Plains zone of the South platte River basin has been classified as a

Class IV resource. This classification signifies that this fishery

resource is a limited fishery with the absence of threatened, endangered or

high-interest species. Foothills streams in the basin represent moderate

fishery resources with the occurrence of few high-interest species;

whereas, most of the headwaters at higher elevation represent Class I or

Class II resources. Class I streams are considered a highest-value fishery

resource and high-interest, threatened, and endangered species occur in

these streams. Habitat restoration of Class I or Class II streams would be

difficult if existing environmental conditions of the streams were

substantially altered.

Cold Water Fisheries - The upppr South Platte River ann its associated

tributaries are consid~red relatively productive trO\lt streams (U.S.

Department of the Intprior, 1978). These waters originate above

10,000 feet in elevation in the Alpine and Sub-Alpine zones

(Figure 5). Generally, the mountain waters are of high quality for

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