FLOOD10350

• Designation Number: 578
• County: Delta
• Community: Orchard City
• Stream Name: Surface Creek, Cedar Run and Tongue Creek
• Title: Floodplain Information Report: City of Orchard City, CO
• Date: 9/1/2004
• Prepared For: Orchard City and CWCB
• Prepared By: Love and Associates
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

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STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION

Community Description

The City of Orchard City is located within Delta County, Colorado, on the western slope
of the Rocky Mountains in the west-central region of the County. Please refer to the
Vicinity Map, Figure 1. Orchard City consists of the communities of Orchard City,
Eckert, Cory, Austin, and surrounding farmlands. It is approximately 11.5 square miles
in area. Surface Creek, Cedar Run, and Tongue Creek flow through the City. Alfalfa
Run below Fruit Growers Reservoir and Currant Creek pass through a small portion of
the City along its eastern edge.

The City is located in a semiarid climate and averages approximately 12 inches of
precipitation per year. The mean annual temperature of the City is about 490 F, and mean
monthly temperatures range from a low of approximately 260 F in February to a high of
about 730 F in July.

Watershed Description

Orchard City is located within North Fork Gunnison River watershed, part of the
Colorado River Basin. Surface Creek is part of the Tongue Creek watershed and enters
Tongue Creek near the western City boundary. Tongue Creek enters North Fork
Gunnison River just downstream of the southwestern boundary of the City. Cedar Run
enters North Fork Gunnison River upstream of Tongue Creek at the southern boundary of
the City.

Orchard City is located on a sloping plateau and is surrounded on three sides by large
mesas. Elevations in the City range from approximately 5020 to 5940 feet msl.
Drainages upstream of the City are characterized by gently to moderately sloping valleys
and mesas dissected by channels with steeply sloping sides. Heavy winter snowfalls are
common in the higher elevations north of the City, but runoff from snowmelt is low due
to infiltration into highly permeable soils. Snowfall is light at lower elevations.
Vegetation in the higher elevations includes deciduous and evergreen forests, while
sagebrush, pinion pine, juniper, and oakbrush are found at lower elevations. The
watersheds are largely undeveloped. Fruit production, ranching activities, and small
business activities in the Towns are the primary economic activities in the area. Limited
development is found on floodplains within the City.

The Surface Creek basin is narrow in the lower part of the basin through Orchard City
and widens into a fan-like shape in the upper part of the basin. The headwater of Surface
Creek is located within Grand Mesa National Forest. Its drainage area is approximately
44.7 square miles, and its elevation ranges from approximately 5500 to 11,100 feet msl.
It joins Tongue Creek within City limits. Please refer to Figure 2. A gaging station is
operated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on Surface Creek north and upstream of
Orchard City at the Town of Cedaredge. The gaging station is identified as being located
on Leroux Creek.

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