watervulnerability

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest Watershed Vulnerability Assessment, Rocky
Mountain Region (R2)
Figure 10. Source Water Areas
Instream Flow Water Rights - miles of instream flow water rights per square mile of subwatershed.
The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) holds instream flow water rights on approximately
1,800 miles of stream in 107 subwatersheds across the Forest (Figure 11). The quantity and timing of
those flows vary by individual stream, but the CWCB program objective is to “preserve and improve the
natural environment to a reasonable degree.” This nonconsumptive water use is designed to retain a
minimum amount of water within a given stream, to protect the natural environment (which can include
coldwater fisheries and riparian habitats, among other environmental factors).
76 Assessing the Vulnerability of Watersheds to Climate Change