PUB00089

• Year: 1980
• Title: Upper Colorado Resource Study: Colorado and Utah - Concluding Report May 1980
• CWCB Section: Water Conservation & Drought Planning
• Author: R. Keith Higginson, Commissioner
• Description: Study to determine expected increases of water needs for energy-related developments along White and Yampa Rivers
• Publications - Doc Type: Tech Report

CHAPTER IV

Elevation (feet)
Temperature (OF.)
Average July maximu~1 2
Average Januarv minimum-I
Average annuarll
Extreme 1
Hig~
Low!:/
Precipitation annua}
average (inches)l
Precipitation during
irrigation season
(May-September)ll
Average days
between 280F .11
Average days
between 320F .11
Source: u.s. Department
Atmospheric Administration.
11 The Ouray station was
21 For period of record.
11 For 1952-1973, except

Climatolo~ical data

Ouray11
4,670

Meeker
6,242

DESCRIPTION OF AREA

.

Craig
6,247

Steamboat
Sprin~s
6,770

Ran~ely
5,216

94
-1
46

93
4
46

85
5
44

86
2
42

82
o
39

105
-35

104
-37

103
-43

100
-45

99
-54

6

9

17

24

3

4

13

8

6

8

157

149

112

129

83

128 118 89 100
of Commerce, National Oceanic and

established in 1955.

Ouray.

Vegetation

30

.

The Upper Colorado Resource Study area exhibits a wide variety of
vegetation types and densities because of the differences found in
soils, climate, aspect, altitude, grazing, and general land use history.
Vegetation in the area can be divided into two broad categories: a semi-
desert area and a mountain and plateau area. These areas are not rigidly
exclusive, however, and mixing of species, especially along areas of
common boundary is usually found. Within the semidesert area three
plant communities occur--saltbush, greasewood. and sagebrush. Within
the mountain and plateau area four communities can be recognized--pinyon-
juniper, mountain shrub, ponderosa pine-Douglas fir, and spruce-fir.

The semidesert areas are mostly below 7,000 feet in elevation,
receive less than 15 inches of annual precipitation, and have generally
alkaline soils. Trees usually grow only along streambanks or in areas
of restricted drainage. The most common trees that do occur are narrow-
leaf cottonwood at higher elevations, Rio Grande cottonwood at lower
elevations, and boxelder.

30

.