WSP01656

• File Number: 8200.766
• Description: Gunnison River General
• State: CO
• Basin: Gunnison
• Water Division: 4
• Date: 5/1/1985
• Author: USFS
• Title: Oh-Be-Joyful Wilderness Study Area - Final Environmental Impact Statement
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

There is nO stated immediate need to attempt to improve water yields
in Oh-Be-Joyful, but possible future use of the area to supply muni-
cipal water to the town of Crested Butte or significant industrial
development in the Gunnison Valley could change that situation. Some
opportunities for improving water yields do exist in the Study Area -
primarily through alpine snowpack management and/or weather modi-
fication (i.e., snowpack increase), though such techniq\.es are largely
theoretical and, in all likelihood, not econerrnically fe.J.sible.

c. Water Uses and Rights

There are currently no known active diversions of water from Oh-Be-
Joyful Creek. The Colorado State Engineer's Office lists three
relatively senior water rights in the drainage (Table 111-7), none of
which are known to be used beneficially at this time. The Colorado
Water Conservation Board, acting for the Colo~ado Division of Wildlife,
has applied for an instream (non-consumptive) water right for eight
cubic feet per second at the mouth of Oh-Be-J'yful Creek, but no final
action has been taken by the water court on tJe application. The
Forest Service uses water in Oh-Be-Joyful Cre,k for a variety of
instream purposes; including rnaintenanc~ of a cold-water fishery,
wildlife and livestock use, recreation, esthe ics, and maintenance of
aquatic and riparian ecosystems and stream ch, nnel stability. The
quantity of water used for these purposes is unquantified at present.

TABLE 111-7 - Outstanding Diversionary Water Rights'

Stucture Adjudication Date
Columbine Ditch
Mariposa Ditch
Mariposa Pipeline

Appropriation Date
10/5/17
8/17/17
6/23/20

Amount
18.28 cfs
8.64 cfs
20.00 cfs

* Location of these structures (if in existallce) and present water
consumption (if any) is undetermined.

The town of Crested Butte has considered charging the point of diver-
sion for its municipal water supply - from C<al Creek to Oh-Be-Joyfu1
Creek. The town holds no absolute or condit onal water decrees in Oh-
Be-Joyful Creek, but has conditional rights :or the Slate River just
belcw its confluence with Oh-Be-Joyful, A 1 '77 study by Merrick and
ComIany (consulting engineers) conducted for the town of Crested
Butte, included a l~~ited feasibility study for diverting water from
Oh-Ee-Joyful Creek -. A 1980 water supply study of the Crested Butte
system, prepared for AMAX, Inc., concluded that Oh-Be-Joyful Cr~7k is
one of a number of alt(:rnatives to the town I s existing system. - The
latter study concluded that a system of wells in the Slate River
alluvium, by eliminatiILg the inherent problems associated wi th surface
drinking water sources, may be the most desiJable long-term solution
to meeting the water supply needs of Crested 3utte. There have been
no detailed feasibility studies for that alternative, however.

31

Merrick and Company (consulting engineers) 1 "Preliminary Report on
the Water Transmission System for the Town of Crested Butte", May 16,
1977 .

41

Black & Veatch (consulting engineers), Crested Butte Water Suppl,," ~,_,
Report prepared for AMAX, Inc., 1980.

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