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<br />tracts. These streams are both perennial streams. Trout <br />Creek is considered to contain good fisheries. <br />Fish Creek is fair to good in the upper reaches but, due to <br />poor water quality, is poor in the vicinity of the tract. <br />The game fish population of Trout Creek consists of 80 per- <br />cent brook trout, 10 percent cutthroat trout, and 10 percent <br />rainbow trout (Colorado DOW, 1972). The DOW stock catchable- <br />size rainbow trout annually in Trout Creek above the proposed <br />mining site. There is some natural reproduction of trout <br />species in Trout Creek, and the overall fish population <br />is stable. The flow of Trout Creek is interrupted at some <br />locations by beaver dams. <br />Studies conducted by Dames and Moore (1975) indicated a low <br />quality sports fishery in the immediate vicinity of the <br />Energy Fuels mines (see Table 24), the major factor being the <br />overall water quality. <br />Overall water quality of Trout Creek is rated as fair for <br />trout, limited by water temperatures; 70° F is the maximum <br />temperature to which Crout should be exposed. Water of the <br />Trout Creek watershed could approach 65-70° F, and above <br />average turbidity (sediment load transported by'stream) <br />would occur during the late summer and early fall. The <br />physical quality of Trout Creek may also be classified <br />as fair to good. The pool-riffle (critical spawning <br />and feeding habitat for trout) ratio in Trout Creek <br />is approximately 50-50 (50 percent pools and 50 percent <br />110 <br />