WSP06828

• File Number: 7630.250
• Description: Wild and Scenic-Encampment River
• State: CO
• Date: 10/1/1976
• Author: Smith-Russell
• Title: Encampment River-Supporting Material-Water Quality Summary Upper Encampment River-Hahns Peak Ranger District-Routt National Forest
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Colorado. State StandardS for Closs Bl fisheries. It is anticipated,
tho.ugh,.that summer bacteria counts would not meet drinking water
standards due to natural conditions and livestock use. Because the
Encampment above the State line is relatively pristine, water quality
conditions are primari lY' natura 1 and unaffected by man. .

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Existing data and observations give no indication that any degradatio.n
of the natural water' quality has occurred. Ho.wever, there is some
indication that'the quality of the fishery has been declining in
recent years, mainly from observations of long-time local residents.
Although no dnta is a~aildble, it can be theorized that increased
accessibility and fishing pressure, combined with low water temperature
and nutrient levels (i .e.: low productivity) cauld have combined to.
cause a decrease'in the fishery quality. This, however, is mainly
speculatian.

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Ill. PHYSICAL PARAMETERS

a) Tempera ture

The Encampment, with its source in the snowfields of the Mt. Zirkel
Wilderness, is cold year-around. Because its gradient is relatively
low and it meanders through several reaches it does warm up as it
approaches the State line. Winter temperatures average close to. O.C.
Summer temperatures fluctuate between about 5.C and 20.C. Figure 1
is a graph of one year's maximum and minimum summer water temperatures
of the East Fork of the Encilmpment near its confluence with the Main
Fork. (The East FOrk is totally in Wyom'ing and not within the \'Jild
and Scenic River Study Area, but has its confluence with the Main
Fork abollt l.j mile below the State line. The East Fork is similar in
many ways to. the Mai n Fork, and da ta ham it and its tri butary,
Damfino Creek, are used throughout this report as a rough indication of
water qUillity of the Upper Encampment.)

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommends the fo.llowing generalized
o.ptimum temperature ranges fot' traut and related species:

Migratian

_ 7. - l6.C

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Spawning

_ 7. - 130C

Rearing

_10. 160C

Generally, the range of non-winter temperatures for the Encampment
fits we11 'tlithin these optimum ranges.

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