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<br />2 <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />The river originates in the Rocky <br />Mountains of Colorado and Wyoming, <br />flows southwest about 1,400 miles, and <br />terminates in the Gulf of California. <br />The sys~m consists of portions of seven <br />States: Arizona, California, Colorado, <br />New MeXico, Nevada, Utah, and <br />Wyoming. The drainage area was <br />divided into nine subbasins for the <br />purpose of this report. <br /> <br />, ) <br /> <br />w <br />,... <br />toO <br />I-' <br /> <br />The Colorado River Compact, signed <br />November 24, 1922, was established <br />becauset;he Upper Basin States were <br />concerned that any storage on the river <br />would be put to use more rapidly by the <br />Lower Ba;sin States, thus allowing them <br />to claim ~ppropriative rights. The <br />Upper BaSin States wanted provisions <br />for their future development. <br /> <br />The term "Upper Basin States" refers to <br />the States' of Colorado, New Mexico, <br />Utah, and' Wyoming. "Lower Basin <br />States" refers to the States of Arizona, <br />California, and Nevada, However, the <br />Upper Colorado River Basin refers to <br />the hydrol!>gic boundaries. Lee Ferry is <br />the division point between the Upper <br />Colorado $ver Basin and the Lower <br />Colorado :$ver Basin. Therefore, the <br />hydrologic ;boundaries include portions <br />of Arizona in the Upper Colorado River <br />Basins and portions of Utah and New <br />Mexico in the Lower Colorado River <br />Basin. Hyclrologic boundaries are shown <br />on the map on page ii. <br /> <br />The m~or tributary streams selected as <br />reporting areas in the Upper Colorado <br />River Basill are: Green River <br />(Wyoming, Colorado, Utah); Upper Main <br />Stem (Colo~ado, Utah); and San <br />Juan-Colonido (Colorado, New Mexico, <br />Utah, Arizona). <br /> <br />Five tributary areas in addition to the <br />main stem were selected in the Lower <br />Colorado River Basin: Little Colorado <br />River (Arizona, New Mexico); Virgin <br />River (Utah, Arizona); Muddy River <br />(Nevada); Bill Williams River (Arizona); <br />Gila River (Arizona, New Mexico); and <br />remaining areas in Arizona, Nevada, <br />and Utah. The outflow point and <br />drainage area for each is shown in <br />table C.!. The boundaries of the <br />reporting areas are shown on the map <br />on page ii. A brief description of each <br />reporting area follows. <br /> <br />Upper Colorado River Basin <br /> <br />Green RIver, <br />Wyoming-Colorado-Utah <br /> <br />The Green River reporting area <br />comprises about 44,800 square miles in <br />southwestern Wyoming, northwestern <br />Colorado, and northeastern and <br />east-central Utah. <br /> <br />Principal tributaries of the Green River <br />are Blacks Fork, New Fork, and Big <br />Sandy Creek in southwestern Wyoming; <br />Yampa and White Rivers on the western <br />slope of the Continental Divide in <br />northwestern Colorado; and the Price, <br />Duchesne, and San Rafael Rivers in <br />eastern Utah. These streams are fed by <br />numerous headwater lakes_ <br /> <br />The largest towns in the reporting area <br />are Rock Springs and Green River in <br />Wyoming; Vernal and Price in Utah; and <br />Craig, Steamboat Springs, and Meeker <br />in Colorado. <br /> <br />Mineral production is the m~or <br />industry. Oil and natural gas are of <br />primary importance, as are coal, <br />