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maximum-annual discharge (average of the mean-daily flow for the highest day <br />of the year) for the Gunnison River declined about 47$ between the early <br />development and post-Aspinall periods (Table 1). It declined about 37$ in the <br />Colorado River (Cisco gage) between the same two periods (Table 1). Mean- <br />monthly flows have also changed over the three development periods (Figure 7; <br />Tables A5 and A6). In general, spring and early summer flows have declined, <br />and fall and winter flows have increased. Mean-monthly flows in May and June, <br />the primary runoff months, have declined 43 and 47$ (respectively) in the <br />Gunnison River (Table AS), and 31 and 37$ in the Colorado River (Table A6). <br />Flow changes calculated by comparing actual Gunnison River streamflow <br />with the estimated flow that would have occurred without any development were <br />comparable to those estimated for the runoff period using the three <br />development periods (Table 2; Table A7). However, estimated changes for the <br />remainder of the year differed substantially. This is undoubtedly due in <br />large part to the irrigation diversions that were already in place when stream <br />gaging began. The water diverted for irrigation would be a small portion of <br />the available water during runoff, but would be a large portion of streamflow <br />during summer months. Thus the 'early development' streamflows were already <br />less than natural flows. <br />The effect of the Aspinall Unit on runoff was estimated by comparing the <br />change in streamflow from the middle-development period to the post-Aspinall <br />period. Mean-monthly streamflow declined about 1.4~ in April, 25.1 in May, <br />and 32.2 in June (Table 3). streamflow during the remainder of the year has <br />increased, particularly during the winter when average flows are more than <br />100$ greater than pre-Aspinall flows (Table AS). Gunnison River mean-monthly <br />flows have declined an average of 1,864 cfs in May and 2,326 cfs in June <br />19 <br />