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<br />003350 <br /> <br />MAXIMUM WATER YIELD LEVEL (BENCHMARK '11) Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and <br />Gunnison NF's FEIS <br />This benchmark level estimates the maximu~ water yield that can be produced on <br />the Forest while still maintaining land productivity. This will establish the <br />upper limit for water yield. Timber harvest, vegetation treatment, snowpack <br />management, and structural improvements will be used to enhance water produc- <br />tion. <br /> <br />This benchmark aSSUJDeS all tentatively suitable forest land on slopes less <br />than 40\, one-third of the tentatively suitable timber land on slopes greater <br />than 40\, and one-third of the non-forest land on' slopes less than 40\ are <br />capable of management for increased water yield. Wilderness acreage is not <br />capable of increased water yield. Sane openings may be designed to minimize <br />water yield in sensitive watersheds. <br /> <br />Benchmark 11 is designed to determine the maximum water yield increase the <br />Forest is capable of producing. The fOllowing conclusion can be drawn from <br />Benchmark 11. The maximum water yield increase potential fran vegetation <br />trea tment on b:>th suitable forest land and non-forest land is an average <br />annual increase of 125,000 acre-feet by the end of the 50-year planning <br />horizon. Table 11-1 displays average annual increased water yield by decade. <br /> <br />The fifth decade value (125,000 acre-feet/year) represents <br />crease of 4.4\ over current water yield by the year 2030. <br />total annual water yield would be about 2,994,000 acre-feet. <br /> <br />a potential in- <br />If accomplished, <br /> <br />TABLE II-I. <br /> <br />INCREASED WATER YIELD <br />(Average Annual) <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Time Period <br />19B1-1990 1991-2000 2001-2010 2011-2020 2021-2030 <br /> <br />Thousand <br />Acre-Feet_ ... .39.3. <br /> <br />.64_1._ . ... _as. G.. <br /> <br />105.9_ <br /> <br />125.0 <br /> <br />C /J":> <br />