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<br />~ Although at present there is little timber harvesting activity in the sub- <br />~ basin, there are 55,000 acres of operable connnercial forest land on the <br />o::i" national forests. Timber that is being cut is sold entirely to local <br />~~ timber operators. Tree planting should be undertaken on 22,000 acres of <br />nonproductive forest land. <br /> <br />Several vegetative zones are represented in thi.s subbasin. The lowest <br />zone is the desert shrub and grasses, this graduates upward through the <br />pinyon-juniper, ponderosa pine-oakbrush to the spruce-fir type. Sagebrush <br />and aspen is associated with ponderosa pine and oakbrush. <br /> <br />The city of Grand Junction receives its water supply from Kahnah Creek, <br />and the town of Fruita receives its water supply from the headwaters of <br />Northeast ,Creek and the Little Dolores River, in the Fruita division of <br />the Uncompahgre ,National Forest on Pinyon Mesa. Livestock grazing is <br />Destricted within these municipal watershed areas and as a result vegetative <br />cover is relatively good. <br /> <br />Most of the runoff comes in spring snowmelt, with the greater portion <br />coming from above &,500 feet. Summer rainstorms from the sagebrush, <br />pinyon-juniper, desert shrub area produce much silt but very little <br />rUI1off. Cover conditions in these areas are quite poor. The Uncompahgre <br />side of the subbasin has more erosion and sediment production than the <br />Grand Mesa side. <br /> <br />Phreatophytesare not a serious problem within this subbasin. About 3,800 <br />a,creS ,could 00 replaced with more usable forage. <br /> <br />Recreation <br /> <br />The Uneompahgre Plateau receives heavy use from deer hunters, but light <br />visitor use otherwise. There are many one-day mountain outings taken <br />by local people from the surrounding hot valleys to enjoy the cool di-ive <br />on the plateau and the scenery viewed from its rim. Several -co-operati"ire <br />,hunter access roads have been constructed or are planned for the future <br />to aid in properly harvesting the available big game populations. <br /> <br />,The Kahnah Creek area is widely known for its deer <br />had one of the most liberal seasons in the State. <br />of nati.onal forest rangeland in this area has been <br />xange and all livestock removed. <br /> <br />hunting. In 1961 it <br />A considerable portion <br />deSignated as game <br /> <br />All outdoor recreation activity is expected to increase in the Whitewater <br />subbasin. Current use is estimated at 61,000 man-days per year, and <br />expected to increase five times by the year 2000. <br /> <br />- 90 - <br />