PERMFILE124206 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Tributaries to Fish Creek • Altltougli the unnamed tributary to Fish Creek at the northern end of the study area in Sections 3 and 10, TSN,R86W meets the AVF geomorphic criteria, this tributary supports no active or Historic Flood irrigation. In addition, no Flow information is available i~t order to evaluate ~vlietlter water supplies are available to support Flood irrigation. From [Ire stand point of regional Flood irrigation practices on drainages of similar size, an assessment was undertaken and it was found that the only three drainages in the basins of Fish, Foidel, and Middle Creek of similar size are developed for irrigated agriculture and are known to be successful. These irrigation operations from small drainage basins, include the Spring Run Ditch from an unnamed tributary to Foidel Creek, the Art Long Ditch from Long Gulch (tributary to Yoast Gulch) and the Yoast Ditches #l, #2 from Yoast Gulclt (tributary to upper Fish Creek). However, upon further evaluation, it was found that the irrigation water is available not because of the drainage area of the basins previously mentioned, but because of groundwater baseflow which contributes to streamflow in the respective areas. [n addition, the Yoast Ditches also are augmented with waters imported from West Fish Creek via the Highland Ditch. Therefore, based on regional practice, it is determined that the unnamed northern tributary to Fish Creek does not have sufficient water available to support flood irrigation agricultural activities. (However, this tributary will be evaluated further in the next part of this report regarding the availability of water support subirrigation agricultural activities.) Flood lrrieation Capability Since Fish Creek valley is presently irrigated of has a history of successful flood irrigation, it is concluded that these streams are capable of supporting flood irrigation agricultural activities. Using regional irrigation practices as an evaluation method, the northern tributary to Fish Creek, • as mentioned previously, is determined [o have insufficient water to support flood irrigation agricultural activities. Subirrieation In the valley bottom areas meeting the AVF geomorphic criteria, as discussed in Section II of [Iris report, the portion of each respective valley (i.e., Fish, Foidel, and Middle) where water availability is sufficient to support subirtigation agricultural activities must be delineated. Sources of information which were used in the following assessment of subirrigation, included recent field investigations, conversations with ranchers, and a review of information available from previous studies. Metltodoloev The subirrigation investigation for Fish Creek within the area meeting the AVF geomorphic criteria, was carried out using a procedure designed to maximize the use of existing data. The procedure that was followed is described here in order to show the logic that was used when drawing conclusions regarding subirrigation of agriculturally useful species along each of the previously described drainages. In general, the preliminary information evaluated for the subirrigation investigation included color infrared photograph (dated September 7, 1978 , ~OYr `' elevations of the alluvial water table from (Water Waste and Land, Brown and Caldwell, 1981) Ta-- in relation to the terrace elevations, previously collected soil test pit data (Walsh, 1980), and data front Colorado Yampa coal Company test pit investigations (Colorado Yampa Coal Company Cnergy 3 Mining and Reclamation Plan). • Based on the previously collected information, additional field investigations were identified and carried out. More specifically, vegetative patterns were field verified to better establish which ~i I:environ\tracy\document/ExhibTA 5 01/16/98 ~,.i~~'""l~~ cur; 2 a Zcco J f