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Cotter Corporation Water Quality Assessment CO-0036251 <br />According to discussions with a representative from the State of Colorado's Division of Water <br />Resources, Division 4, both East Paradox Creek and Bull Canyon have a low flow of zero. <br />Therefore, the unnamed tributaries to both East Paradox Creek and Bull Canyon were assumed to <br />have low flows of zero. However, as discussed later in this report, the in-stream standazds that apply <br />to the unnamed tributaries to East Pazadox Creek and Bu11 Canyon, as well as to East Paradox Creek <br />and Bull Canyon aze limited. Thus, as is the approach of the WQCD, the protection of downstream <br />water quality through the application of downstream standards is also evaluated as part ofthis WQA. <br />Information used in this assessment includes data gathered from the Cotter Corporation, the <br />Department of the Interior, the WQCD, Riverwatch, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency <br />(EPA), the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS), and communications with the local water <br />commissioner. The data used in the assessment consist of the best information available at the time <br />of preparation of this WQA package. <br />II. Water Quality <br />The Cotter Corporation discharges to the Water Body Identification (WBID) stream segment <br />COGULD03, which means the Lower Dolores River Basin, Lower Dolores River Subbasin, Stream <br />Segment 03. This segment is composed of the "All tributaries to the Dolores River, including all <br />wetlands, lakes, and reservoirs, from a point immediately below the confluence of the West Dolores <br />River, to the bridge at Bradfield Ranch (Forest Route 505), except for the specific listing in <br />Segments 4 and 5." Stream segment COGULD03 is classified for Warm Water Aquatic Life Class <br />2, Class 2 Recreaction, and Agriculture. <br />Numeric standards are developed on abasin-specific basis and are adopted for particular stream <br />segments by the Water Quality Control Commission. To simplify the listing ofthesegment-specific <br />standards, many ofthe aquatic life standards aze contained in a table at the beginning of each chapter <br />ofthe regulations. The standards in Table A-2 havebeen assignedto stream segment COGULD03 in <br />accordance with the Classification and Numeric Standards for Gunnison and Lower Dolores River <br />Basins. <br />Table A-2 <br />In-stream Standards for Stream Se ment COGULD03 <br />.. r <br />.C32.: Ya"'° .,, ~ K'a"A.~t-.'~sk~.'a~'l„.+~ gs "N' a. -, `~fOIO ICQ~ .g.'vy.!~*~x,x1, ~ c.~.n ', <br />`~ <<.eeb. .+cr)'L SlCRh(i71(/- ~ ~''~ : dry ~"'`.~.e.-.,t^~aa_.«~+<.glr-.v""r,.-r," <br />Dissolved Ox en DO = 5 m ,minimum <br />H=6.5-9su <br />Fecal Coliform = 2000 colonies/100 ml <br />As previously mentioned, the unnamed tributaries to East Paradox Creek and Bull Canyon ultimately <br />flow to East Paradox Creek and Bull Canyon, respectively, which both ultimately flow into the <br />Dolores River, where a new stream segment begins. This downstream segment, COGULD02, is <br />composed of the "Mainstem of the Dolores River from the Little Gypsum V alley Bridge at the San <br />Miguel/Montrose County line to the Colorado/Utah border." Stream segment COGULD02 is <br />classified for Warn Water Aquatic Life Class 1, Class 1 a Recreaction, and Agriculture. <br />Appendix A Page 3 of 13 Final <br />