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The studied section of the Big Thompson River is ap roximately 39 miles long. The river originates in the Rocky Moun ains, and the basin extends to the Continental Divide at an eleva ion of 14,250 feet on Long's Peak. The Big Thompson River flows 'n an easterly direction through the southern part of Larimer Coun y. Considerable residential development has taken place along the r'ver banks, especially in the narrow canyon area. Channel SloPjS range from approximately 18 feet per mile in the area near Lov land to 130 feet per mile through the narrows. The soils in the Big Thompson River study area consist of Fluvaquents-Fluvents, Haplobo olls-Camborthids- Argiborolls, and Argiborolls-Rock Outcrop Associatio s (Reference 3). ~ ~ The studied section of the North Fork Big Thompson iver is approxi- mately 9.8 miles long, with the lower study limit being at the con- fluence with the Big Thompson River at Drake. The a erage channel width through the studied section is 25 feet, and th channel slope averages 132 feet per mile. Soils consist of North ock Outcrop and HaploborollS-Camborthids-Argiborolls Associations ( ference 3). . . Numerous small tributaries were included in this stu y. The sections studed along these tributaries are generally less th n 0.5 mile. The stream channels are narrow and have slopes avera ing 400 feet per mile. Two larger tributaries to the North Fork ig Thompson River, West Creek and Devils Gulch, near Glen Haven ere also studied. West Creek and Devils Gulch have average channel wid hs of 25 feet, and their slopes are 90 feet per mile and 400 feet p r mile, respec- tively. The soils along West Creek and Devils Gulch are of the Haploborolls-Camborthids-Argiborolls Associations (R ference 3). Buckhorn Creek flows east and south through Larimer the Big Thompson River approximately 5 miles west of Redstone Creek flows south on the east side of the B basin and joins Buckhorn Creek at Masonville. Devel two basins is confined to the areas where the valley and consists mostly of farming units. The channel s Creek in the studied section is approximately 58 fee the Redstone Creek channel slope averages approximat mile. Soils in the Buckhorn Creek and Redstone Cree the Fluvaquent-Fluvents, Argiborolls-Rock Outcrop, Haplustolls Associations (Reference 3). ~ ounty and joins Loveland. ckhorn Creek pment in the widths permit, ope of Buckhorn per mile, and ly 185 feet per basins are of d Arguistolls- Box Elder Creek flows in a southerly direction throu h Larimer County past the west side of the Town of Wellington. Very little development has occurred in the flood plain within t e county. The Box Elder Creek watershed, approximately 32 miles 10 g with an average width of 8 miles, flows from an altitude of 720 feet at its headwaters in Wyoming to 4860 feet at its confluence with the Cache La Poudre River. Geological formations exposed with'n the watershed consist of rocks and sediments ranging from Precambr'an to Quaternary in age, and the soils in the basin are of the Fluvaq ents-Fluvents and Argiustolls-Haplustolls Associations (Reference ). 4 - ~ l'w ~