FLOOD00029

• Designation Number: 365
• County: Mesa
• Community: Fruita
• Title: Flood Insurance Study - Fruita, CO, Mesa County
• Date: 7/1/1992
• Designation Date: 7/1/1994
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

of today. Water and wind shaped the major topographic features of
the area as valleys deepened and younger streams were superimposed
on the older, underlying rock.

Fruita lies at an elevation of approximately 4,500 feet
southern part of the Grand Valley, a wide, gently sloping
corridored by high, rocky cliffs. To the north, the
gradually ascends for several miles to the base of Book
which rise abruptly to more than 8,000 feet. Approximately
south of town, the steep sandstone and shale formations
Colorado National Monument (or the Uncompahgre Uplift)
Frui ta is part of the Canyon Lands, a subdi vi s ion of a
physiographic region known as the Colorado Plateaus.

in the
valley
valley
Cliffs,
2 mi les
of the
begin.
larger

The climate of Fruita is classified as arid to semiarid. The
mountainous regions around Frui ta are subject to moderately heavy
precipitation. Elevation greatly influences the precipitation
amounts. Annual preclpltation at Fruita averages approximately
9 inches. The higher mesas (headwaters and primary drainage areas
of Little Salt Wash) receive from 10 to 20 inches, while the
mountainous regions (headwaters of the Colorado River) average
approximately 40 inches. Convection-type cloudburst storms of
small aerial extent and general rainfall over large areas normally
make August, September, and October the wettest months of the year.
Most wintertime precipitation occurs as snow, and a deep snowpack
normally accumul.ates at the higher elevations. Average snowfall
ranges from approximately 19 inches at Fruita to approximately 72
inches in the mountainous regions surrounding Fruita. Snowfall is
generally dominated by a few large storms. Snowpack ordinarily
begins in late October. Snowmelt generally begins in late April
and continues through early July.

The temperature extremes at Frui ta are evidenced by mean maximums
ranging from approximately 38'F in January to approximately 94'F in
July, and by mean minimums ranging from approximately 150F in
January to 62'~' in July. Cooler temperatures prevail in higher
mountain areas. Record low and high temperatures are -34'F and 64'F
for January and 380F and 111'F for July, respectively. The growing
season usually extends for approximately 190 days.

The soils in the
infiltration rate
degree of runoff.

Fruita area have a
and characteristically

low to
allow a

moderately
somewhat

low
high

The natural vegetation of the Grand Valley, where not disturbed by
human encroachment, consists of desert shrubs (such as winterfat
and sagebrush), cottonwood trees, willow trees, and an understory
of hardy grasses. Agricultural operations in the valley consist
mainly of fruit, vegetable, and livestock feed crops. Between
elevations of 5,000 and 8,000 feet (headwaters of Little Salt Wash
and primary drainage area of the Colorado River upstream of
Fruita), pinon pine, juniper, oak, big sagebrush, serviceberry, and
Douglas fir trees are prominent. From an elevation of 8,,000 feet
to timberline (headwaters of Colorado River), vegetation consists

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