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<br />002-4.76- <br /> <br />Stagecoach Reservoir, about 16 highwaymiles south of Steamboat Springs, is located on the Yampa <br />River, 75 RM upstream from Craig. This 700-acre reservoir has a total capacity of 33,275 AF <br />allocated to industrial (11,000 AF), municipal (2,000 AF) and recreational (15,000 AF) purposes <br />(Table 4), with the remainder (5,275 AF) currently unallocated. In addition to these uses, water <br />stored in Stagecoach Reservoir also is used to generate hydro-electric power and to maintain <br />minimum instream flows below the dam (Hydrosphere 1995). <br /> <br />New reservoirs may be developed on tributaries to serve unmet human demand. Although there is <br />no current consensus within the Recovery Program to construct new reservoirs for the sole purpose <br />of augmenting flows for fishes on either a permanent or interim basis, the Recovery Program may <br />consider, on a case-by-case basis, the potential impacts and benefits of purchasing water from such <br />new storage projects that may be developed in the future to meet human water needs. <br /> <br />The Colorado River Water Conservation District (CRWCD) identified several candidate sites for <br />construction of small reservoirs to serve human needs (Montgomery Watson 2000). Although this <br />report focused on sites higher on tributaries, the CRWCD (Ray Tenney, CRWCD, personal <br />communication) estimates that sites with sufficient yield to serve the needs of both humans and fish <br />may be found on Fortification Creek, Milk Creek, and Morapos Creek. However, existing <br />hydrologic data for these sites is insufficient to carry out detailed CROSS analyses. <br /> <br />Fortification Creek originates along the southwestern slopes of the Elkbead Mountains and flows <br />generally south to its confluence with the Yampa River at Craig, Colorado. Draining 34 square <br />miles, the subbasin yielded a 4-year (1956-1959) annual average of about 8,400 AF. CRWCD <br />identified two potential reservoir sites, Rampart Reservoir (Sec. 34, T8N, R90W) and Ralph White <br />(Sec.12, T9N, R91 W). Ralph White is the site ofan existing breeched dam. Because it is lower in <br />the watershed, its potential yield is greater. However, Rampart has the potential to supplement <br />native inflow. Both suffer from potential sedimentation problems. <br /> <br />Milk Creek arises from the White River Plateau and flows generally north-northwest to its <br />confluence with the Yampa River west of Craig, Colorado. Its watershed covers 65 square miles <br />and yields a 33-year (1953-1986) annual average of about 22,000 AF. CR WCD evaluated several <br />sites on Milk Creek and recommended two for further evaluation: Three Points (Sec. 9, T2N, R81 W) <br />and Thornburgh (Sec. 32, T3N, R92W). <br /> <br />Morapos Creek also arises from the White River Plateau, and flows north-northwest to its <br />confluence with the Williams Fork at Hamilton, Colorado, covering 14 square miles and yielding <br />an annual average of 4,600 AF over 2 years (1966-1967). Only one site on Morapos Creek, <br />Monument Butte (Sec. 24, T4N, R92W), was recommended for further evaluation. <br /> <br />Management Plan for Endangered Fishes in the Yampa River Basin <br /> <br />43 <br />