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(USFWS), CWCB, and CPOR entered into alease-sublease agreement whereby USFWS <br />leases 2,000 of/yr for maintenance of instream flows, with option to lease additional <br />water, depending on availability as determined by CPOR. According to the lease, <br />USFWS determines the need for the water based on observations of the Maybell gage, <br />but the lease does not quantify a minimum flow level that would trigger the release. The <br />rate of release is not to exceed 200 cfs. The lease year runs from October through <br />September, and generally, the 2,000 of has been released through late August and <br />September. The lease was signed in 1996 and provided for annual renewal at the option <br />of USFWS for four additional years. <br />2.15. Elkhead Creek Reservoir <br />Elkhead Creek Reservoir (WDID 443902) is located on Elkhead Creek, a tributary of the <br />Yampa River just upstream of the city of Craig. The reservoir was originally constructed <br />by the CDOW and the Yampa Proj ect Participants (the operating consortium for the <br />Craig Station power plant) and was intended for recreational and industrial purposes. The <br />Yampa Participants funded a portion of the construction in return for full use of the active <br />storage capacity in the reservoir above Elevation 6340.5, which was estimated to be <br />approximately 8,310 acre-feet. CDOW retained the use of the storage capacity below this <br />elevation, including the dead storage below the outlet works. <br />In 1990, the city of Craig acquired all of the CDOW's interests in the reservoir, subject to <br />a contractual commitment to not encroach upon the dead storage below the elevation of <br />the outlet work invert, which capacity is reserved as a conservation pool for the benefit of <br />the CDOW. In 1991, the reservoir was emptied to the approximate dead storage level to <br />perform maintenance on the outlet works and at the same time, re-survey the capacity of <br />the reservoir. From this new survey data, the city has estimated that the active capacity <br />above the outlet works invert is about 10,422 acre-feet. Of this storage, the Yampa <br />Participants' entitlement is estimated to be about 8,754 acre-feet and the city's <br />entitlement about 1,668 acre-feet. Assuming that the original capacity of the total <br />reservoir, as decreed, is 13,699 acre-feet, this would result in a dead storage capacity of <br />about 3,277 acre-feet. These assumptions were all confirmed through conversations with <br />city of Craig personnel. <br />The Division 6 engineer provided a regression equation relating the reservoir water <br />surface area to the storage capacity: <br />Surface Area = 3.33*(Capacity)^0.526 <br />The following water rights are associated with Elkhead Creek Reservoir <br />Adjudication Appropriation Administration Amount <br />WDID Date Date No. (acre-feet) <br />443902 OS-30-1972 10-01-1966 42642.00000 5,389 <br />12-31-1973 06-20-1972 44925.44731 8,310 <br />TOTAL 13,699 <br />Yampa River Basin Information 2-19 <br />