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,~Y <br />and the CO/UT stateline (RK llb.5, RM 71.8). Typically, <br />the .river in the study area is a coolwater/warmwater <br />system that is subject to extremes in discharge and <br />frequently carries a heavy silt load. Peak discharges <br />during this study exceeded those recorded since 1970. <br />High flows approached but barely exceeded 4000 cfs until <br />1983 when discharge exceeded 6000 cfs. <br />Taylor Draw Dam. which is scheduled to release <br />run-of-the-river and maintain Kenney Reservoir full the <br />ma,iority of the time, did not appear to influence <br />discharge except during the filling period from October to <br />December, 1984. Due to its low retention time. Kenney <br />Reservoir should have minimal influence on seasonal flow <br />or thermal regimes except during extremely low flow <br />years. While seasonal temperature trends were not greatly <br />affected, below the dam, diurnal thermal constancy was <br />evident during the baseflow period (September-March) and <br />the river remained ice-free in winter. Both conditions <br />appeared to persist downstream approximately 16 km (10 <br />mi.) to .just below Rangley. The most obvious physical <br />change in the river below the dam was the reduction of <br />turbidity. Much of the river's sediment is trapped at the <br />r~rowing inlet delta. but dependinst on diseharr~e, the <br />entire reservoir may become turbid. Water clarity is <br />diminished below Dourtlas Creek. 11 km (7 mi.) below the <br />dam. which carries a tremendous sediment load durinst <br />periods of high flow. <br />xiv <br />