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Just downstream from •;he third hey Tleld Is the site of Sage Creek Reservoir. This <br />reservoir was breach eel and drained In Msy, 1985. Currently, a par[1 on of the old • <br />reservoir site supports native wetlands, is principally aubl rrlgated, and is used for <br />livestock grazing. <br />The remainder of the discussion will focus on Sege Creek as middle and lover Grassy Creek <br />vere not investigated as part of this 1990 study. Dovnstreem from Sege Creek Reservoir, <br />the stream channel Is deeply incised and the only areas th et ere sublrri9eted are <br />Confined to the stream channel itself. The upland erees support native drylend shrub <br />communities. The valley maintains this pattern until the stream leaves the mountain <br />valley. <br />In the lower portion of Sege Creek the only subirrigated erees are those immediately <br />vithin the stream cherniel. Most of the alluvial cress along Sage Creek are used for <br />drylend agriculture or native rangeland. There is-one segment (in Section 30, T6N, R87Y) <br />of the alluvial deposits that is used for production of alfalfa hay end appears to be <br />flood irrigated vith vat er from Soge Creek. <br />Continuous flow data collected by SCC at a flume located upstream from the historically <br /> <br />artiall <br />flood <br />irri <br />at <br />d field in Seetl <br />30 <br />di <br />f <br />7991 <br />i <br />t <br />th , <br />h 1993 <br />h <br />h <br />p <br />y g <br />, <br />e <br />on <br />n <br />ca <br />at <br />rom <br />es roug <br />ere <br />t <br />t <br />vas insufficient flow a•+ailable in Sage Creek to even flood irrigate ten acres. ui thin <br />the proving seasons (June 1 through September 30) of 1991 through 1993, there was <br />sufficient floe (0.25 efs) to flood irrigate 10 acres only 73 of the 366 total days. this <br />information vas further substantiated by personal communication vith Dut ch Viltiams (owner <br />of the field). Mr. Vil(isms stated he pumped water from Sege Creek to flood irrigate <br />opproaimately five to t+en acres of elf alfs from 1988 through 1992. Since then, he has <br />gloved the alfalfa under end switched to drylend farming wheat with summer fallov <br />rotations. Ne abandoned trying to pump, flood Irrigate because there is too little water <br />available fn Sage Creek since the Sege Creek Reservoir failure in 1985. He stated the <br />creek elvays dries up st+trting in early June. <br />Voter is diverted from Sege Creek between SCC~s flume site (VSSF3) and Mr. Villiam~s <br />field. The diversion takes place et the Sage Creek Reservoir Outlet Ditch. Vith the <br />inadequate floes documented at Site VSSF3 end the additional diversion of eater by the <br />Sage Creek Reservoir Outlet Ditch, there is en inadequate amount of eater in Sage Creek <br />below the outlet ditch to support flood irrigation. Flood irrigation that has been • <br />16-3-4 Revised 06/19/95 <br />