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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />CHAPTER II <br /> <br />SETTING <br /> <br />Wetland Habitat <br /> <br />Seepa~e from some Montezuma Valley Irrigation Company canals and <br /> <br />laterals has added to the wetland habitat in several areas in the <br /> <br />valley. These wetlands provide forage and cover for wildlife. Wetlands <br /> <br />associated with canal seepage and surface runoff are bein~ inventoried. <br /> <br />Fish and wildlife <br /> <br />Reservoirs in the upper McElmo Creek draina~e are managed primarily <br /> <br />for irrigation purposes. Accordingly, these reservoirs are subject to <br /> <br /> <br />wide seasonal fluctuations, thereby limiting the productivity potential <br /> <br /> <br />of the impoundments. The Colorado Division of wildlife maintains fisheries <br /> <br /> <br />in most of the larger reservoirs. Warm-water species are stocked on an <br /> <br />infrequent basis, and many of these species are able to maintain populations <br /> <br />with limited reproduction success. Also, catchable-size rainbow trout <br /> <br />are stocked seasonally to supplement the warm-water populations. <br /> <br />Trjbutaries downstream of these reservoirs are subject to wide <br /> <br />variations in flow, and many of these streams are intermittent. In <br /> <br />addition, water quality is generally poor. These factors limit the <br /> <br />extent and diversity of fish species. McElmo Creek supports a limited <br /> <br />fish population in its upper reaches, while tributaries downstream <br /> <br />provide a better quality of habitat, thereby permitting flannelmouth and <br /> <br />bluehead suckers, fathead minnows, carp, speckled dace, and red shiners <br /> <br />to flourish. The creek was stocked with catchable-size rainbow trout in <br /> <br />the 1950's and 1960's; however, this stockin~ was discontinued because of <br /> <br />the extremely small percentages of return to creel. Under present <br /> <br />conditions, McElmo Creek has little or no value as a sport fisherv. No <br /> <br />8 <br /> <br />001482 <br />