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of cottonwood trees, skunkbush sumac, willows, and bulrushes along the Gunnison River and this will be done. In addition the construction zone will be clearly marked to reduce any unnecessary damage to vegetation and disturbed areas will be restored. River Flows. Water Rights, and Water Use Existing Conditions The Gunnison River flows from its beginning at the confluence of the Taylor and East Rivers near Almont, Colorado to its confluence with the Colorado River near Grand Junction (see frontispiece map). The Aspinall Unit Reservoirs (Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and Crystal) are located approximately 100 miles upstream from the river's mouth. Major river measurement stations (gages) are located downstream from Crystal Dam and near Whitewater, Colorado. A new gage has been installed downstream from the Redlands Diversion Dam. Major tributaries are the Uncompahgre and North Fork of the Gunnison Rivers. River Flows - Near Whitewater, average flows are approximately 2,600 cfs and extremes have ranged from 35,700 cfs in 1920 to 106 cfs in 1934. Under natural conditions, the river was characterized by high flows in the spring and early summer due to snowmelt and lower flows in the late summer and winter. Storage of water in the Aspinall Unit and other reservoirs such as Taylor Park has reduced high spring flows and increased flows during other periods of the year. Figure 2 shows how the monthly distribution of flows has been affected by storage and other water uses. Water Rights and Uses -- Individuals and water user groups began using Gunnison River water in the 19th century and established numerous irrigation water rights. A water right is a property right which allows the holder to beneficially use a certain portion of the river's water. Most of the water rights on the Gunnison River and its tributaries are direct diversion rights, which allow the owner to take water out of the river or stream; however, water is not always physically present in a stream to meet the needs of the water rights. In Colorado, water is used according to a "first in time, first in right" appropriation doctrine. Thus, at times when water supplies are low, such as in drought years or during late summer, users who established their rights early (senior rights) have priority to divert water. Significant senior rights for the Gunnison River were established between 1900 and 1910 for the Gunnison Tunnel of the Uncompahgre Project (1,300 cfs) and the Redlands Diversion Dam (750 cfs). In addition to water rights within Colorado, the flows of the Colorado River are divided among states under the Colorado -River Compact and the Upper Colorado River Compact. These compacts and other laws and policies are considered the "Law of the River." The Colorado Division of Water Resources, including the State and Division Engineer and Colorado Water Conservation Board, is responsible for managing water within the State to ensure that sufficient water flows from the Colorado River system into neighboring states. 15