Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> n "'''''' t.' I <br /> : J .~ '.!, : ~~ <br />r I <br /> Allotmellt of ColO1'ado <br /> IU River water: <br /> U :3.855 million acre-feel <br /> Z ThC state of Colorado <br /> c( Percentage of allocation <br /> ... <br /> c:l that is developed: River flows southwesterly History <br /> c( 56percellt has been called the moth- until it is met by the For the earliest explor- <br /> t- Population served by er of rivers: the North and Gunnison River at Grand ers of what would become <br /> c( Colorado H.iver water: South Platte. Arkansas. Junction and continues Colorado. these rivers <br /> 2:1 million (85 percent from Rio Grande and the into Utah. The Yampa served as biways, as well <br /> transbasin , diversions) mighty Colorado all begin and White rivers traverse as rich environments for <br />J in its mountains. Sharing the northwest corner of food and other necessary <br /> Irrigal~dacres servedhy its beginnings with the the state to the Utah bor- provisions. As the popula- <br />I Colorado River water: state of Wyoming, in der where they join the tion expanded with gold's <br /> 1,9:It1~llion Colorado the latter begins Green River, which, in discovery in 1859, and irri- <br /> modestly as year-round turn, meets the Colorado gat ion proved the land <br /> Major crups und,er irrigation: snowmelt and infrequent in the canyonlands of productive for farming, <br /> Hay andalf~lfa"grains~ summer rains on the high Utah. The San Miguel and settlers came in increasing <br /> v95etables and-fruit mountain peaks of north- Dolores rivers begin in the numbers. Small towns <br /> central Colorado. southwest corner of the sprang up and grew rapid- <br /> Percentage of contribution of Similarly, many of the state, and flow northwest, ly. Homesteaders claimed <br /> Col,orarlo Riverwater to meet- land for farming <br /> ing.::state's- needs: and ranching, rang- <br />I :$5percenl ing from a few <br /> acres to sizable <br />l, W41.ter6hed area in scplare = operations. <br /> ~- <br /> nliles: ""'- Uniformly, water <br />I 38,542 (37 percent of state) ,,,,Y,",, was the key. <br /> -~ Early in this <br /> .- <br /> w....C<>lor_ growth process, <br />I Precipitation in,watershed: _w- <br />I 7" ,to 58" a year <>i"'''' naturally occurring <br /> . ~ water became <br />I -- <br /> Federal lmnls: - insufficient to meet <br /> 23:5 million acre. (35 P('l" the growing <br /> cent of-state) demand. Diversion <br /> ditches, canals, (') <br /> Na-tional forests: wells and reservoirs <br /> II were required to 0 <br /> slake the thirst of r- <br /> National park8 and monuments: this vigorous eeon. 0 <br />I [1 omy. :II <br />. Limited water <br />I St.te parks: supplies and rapid 3> <br /> 38 growth provided g <br /> river's principal tribu- eventually meeting the the only ingredients nec- <br /> Mountain peaks over 14,000': taries are also born in the Colorado River in Utah. essary for serious, often <br /> 53 state's snow-capped Though the San Juan violent conflict. Resolving <br /> mountains. Although less River, which joins the these conflicts was diffi- <br /> than 20 percent of the Colorado at Lake Powell cult; in fact, many persist <br /> land area of the Colorado in Utah, originates in New today. <br /> River Basin lies within Mexico, its principal tribu- Water Uses <br /> Colorado, between 70 and taries, the Animas and La Roughly 80 percent of <br /> 75 percent of the river's Plata rivers, also originate <br /> total flow originates with- in Colorado. Colorado's annual water <br /> in the state. supply comes from snow. <br /> Born in the mountains But due to wide fluctua- <br /> of Rocky Mountain tions in snowfall year to <br /> National Park, the main- year, mainstem Colorado <br /> stem of the Colorado <br /> <br /> <br />