WSP11051

• File Number: 8281.300
• Description: Colorado River Studies and Investigations - Colorado River Consumptive Uses and Losses Report
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 12/1/1980
• Title: Report of the 1975-79 Annual Consumptive Uses and Losses in the Arizona Portion of the Upper Colorado River Basin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Uses and Losses
(acre-feet)
24,190
30,490
33,850
32,840
33,870

Year
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979

A detailed breakdown by type of use or loss is presented in Table 1. Much

of the data used to develop these values was empirically derived and some of the

uses and losses shown (specifically irrigation, evaporation, and Navajo Indian

domestic use) are at best only estimates.

Description of Study Area

The Arizona portion of the Uppe~ Colorado River Rasin is located in

the northeast corner of Arizona and comprises an area of 6,927 square

miles. See Figure 1. Nearly all of the area lies within the boundaries

of the Navajo Indian Nation. It is estimated that there are about 39,000

Navajos living in the study area, The only town of significant size is

the Glen Canyon Dam community of Page with a population of 4525 (1978).

Principal industries are agriculture (primarily grazing livestock),

tourism, and the Navajo Powerplant located near Page.

Hydrologic Conditions

A summa~y of water year precipitation at selected stations in and

near the study area is presented in Table 2. The records reflect a

variability of climatic conditions ranging from drought in the winter of

1976-77 to severe flooding in the winter of 1978-79.

Monthly runoff records for the stream gaging station, "Chinle Creek

near Mexican Water, Arizona," are shown in Table 3. This station measures

runoff from 3,300 square miles (contributing area), which is about half

of the study area total.