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<br />C <br />z <br />T <br />Q <br />1995 Hydrograph of <br />Tomichi Creek near Gunnison <br />dr-9L .l 09119000 - Ta11ch1 Creel: at Gu tl CO. <br />PkM fl w <br />B*se ow Bm? flo <br />0 <br />V1 V1 Dn en sn u1 ]n M v 1B Ln an <br />Stream Flow <br />The annual hydrograph for an individual stream <br />shows when the periods of peak and base flows occur. <br />Flow variability is a fundamental characteristic of <br />Colorado's streams. <br />Precipitation in Colorado falls unevenly and is <br />collected according to differing topography. Because <br />of this, more water flows out of the state in the <br />Colorado River than in the Platte and Arkansas <br />Rivers, which collect water from the eastern (and <br />drier) half of the state. <br />The thickness of the streams depicted reflects each <br />stream's annual average flow. <br />Yampa River <br />T <br />-? a <br />_U i- <br />?i <br />02 <br />a? <br />Peak flow, the greatest flow in a stream, <br />typically occurs in late spring to early summer <br />The dominant source of water in larger <br />streams is the winter snowpack. Runoff from <br />melting snow contributes 60 to 75 percent <br />to the annual stream flow in many rivers. <br />Intense summer thunderstorms may also <br />result in high flow events for some streams. <br />6 <br />Colorado Historic Annual Average Flows <br />Base flow, the lowest flow in a stream, <br />typically occurs from late summer through <br />early winter. Surface flows may entirely <br />disappear during dry periods.