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<br />Uncompahgre Plateau and Glade Park Annual Hvdrol!raph Estimation <br /> <br />Although there is a substantial amount of streamflow gage data available for the <br />Uncompahgre Plateau and Glade Park, most of this data is severely impacted by <br />diversions and irrigation use. This situation makes it difficult to estimate the natural flow <br />regime for the watersheds on the Plateau. Without specific gage data to evaluate the next <br />best approach is a regional equation that estimates annual flow characteristics. The <br />USGS has developed rcgional equations (Estimation of Natural Streamflow <br />Characteristics in Western Colorado, Water Resources Investigations Report 85-4086, <br />1985) that apply to the Uncompahgre Plateau and Glade Park. The equation that applies <br />is as follows: <br /> <br />Qrom = 9.7xlO'2(Ao888)(E/74)(L98)(365) <br />Qann = mean annual volume in acre - feet <br />A= drainage area in square miles <br />Eb = (mean basin elevation -5000)/1000 <br /> <br />In order to verify the validity of this equation, the results were checked against gages that <br />provided estimates of the natural annual discharge. Three gages were located that <br />provide a diversion free estimate of a natural hydrograph. <br /> <br />Spring Creek near Beaver Hill: Period of record; 1978 -1980 <br />Potter Creek near Olathe: Period ofrecord; 1980 <br />Hay Press Creek above Pruita Reservoir #3: Period of record; 1984 - 1987 <br /> <br />Using the period of record for each of the gages a mean annual volume was calculated <br /> <br /> <br />and compared to the results obtained using the regional equation. <br /> <br />Spring Creek near Beaver Hill: <br />Mean annual gage volume: 11,100 ac-ft <br />Annual volume regional equation: 11,300 ac- ft <br />