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<br />No other flood-cont:rol projects afford protection to the areas being <br />studied in Mesa Coumty. Most of the reservoirs in the drainage <br />basins tributary to Mesa County are operated for water conservation <br />and, therefore, provide only incidental flood protection to downstream <br />areas. In the Gunnison River drainage basin, however, regulations <br />for joint conservation-flood control operation of Paonia Reservoir <br />have been prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. <br />Bureau of Reclamation. The conservation operation of Blue Mesa <br />Reservoir provides substantial flood control benefits, but formal <br />operating regulations for flood control have not been prepared. <br /> <br />'-> <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />Water is diverted from numerous sites in the upper portions of the <br />Colorado River Basin for exportation to the basins of the South <br />Platte and Arkansas Rivers. However, diversions are often decreased <br />during high runoff periods making any reduction in flood peaks un- <br />likely. Irrigation uses also reduce flo\\,s, but not significantly <br />during times of peak flows. various Federal agencies have been <br />studying the water resources development aspects of the Upper Colorado <br />River Basin for many years. A report published in 1971 (Reference 7) <br />contains a reconnaissance type plan that identifies--for future <br />detailed study--eight potential storage projects that would provide <br />flood control benefits for Mesa County and three areas for possible <br />future watershed treatment measures. A publication of the Colorado <br />Water Conservation Board and the U.S. Department of Agriculture <br />(Reference 8) includes information from a reconnaissance type study <br />that identifies a number of Roan and Book Cliffs streams that are <br />potentially subject to development of storage projects for flood <br />control. <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />Flood plain regulations have been adopted by Mesa County. Designated <br />flood plains, including low hazard and floodway zones, are incorpo- <br />rated into county zoning maps. Applications for new development or <br />revision of existing development in these areas must be approved <br />by the County Commission, and such new or revised development is <br />subject to provisions designed to prohibit <br /> <br />1. Storage of materials that are floatable or may <br />be detriment:al to human, animal, or plant life <br /> <br />2. Disposal of garbage or other solid waste <br /> <br />3. Residential use <br /> <br />4. Creation or deposition of additional debris <br /> <br />5. Placement of fill, installation of structures, or <br />storage of materials that could adversely affect flood- <br />flow and possibly cause addition flooding <br /> <br />14 <br />