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<br />Hydrology <br />Dams are used to store peak flows for later release during low flow periods for irrigation <br />and other "beneficial" uses. Although the magnitude and duration of peak and base flaw have <br />changed dramatically, the total annual stream flow (3.9x109 m3) of the Green River is essentially <br />unchanged by Flaming Gorge Dam [Andrews, 1986]. <br />The annual hydrograph (Figure 5) of the Green River near Jensen, Utah, is characterized <br />by a spring flood which typically occurs in April, May, and June. The water for this flood <br />originates as snow melt in the headwaters of the Yampa and upper Green River basins. The US <br />Geological Survey (iJSGS) gage near Jensen (station number 09261000) provides the best <br />measure of flow conditions for the Green River as it flows through the Ouray NWR because no <br />large tributaries enter the river downstream from the gage [Andrews and Nelson, 1989]. <br />z 500 <br />O <br />cv <br />~ 400 <br />a <br />a <br />300 <br />U <br />U 200 <br /> <br />100 <br />U <br />`~' 0 <br />L1 <br />N D J F M A M J,~ J A S O <br />GREEN RIVER <br />-NEAR JENSEN <br />,.rte <br />~ ~. <br />i4+• ~ ~ '. <br />ti...r YAMPA <br />RIVER <br />0 100 200 300 400 <br />DAYS SINCE OCTOBER 1 <br />Figure 5. Average annual hydrographs for the Yampa River and the Green River near Jensen, <br />Utah. The effect of Flaming Gorge Dam (FGD} on mainstem flow, and the <br />contribution of the Yampa River to the Green River are demonstrated by comparison <br />of the periods 1947 to 1962 (thin lines) and 1963 to 1994 (thick lines) which represent <br />pre- and post-dam conditions, respectively. <br />A-14 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />