FLOOD00413

• Designation Number: 339
• County: Delta
• Community: Unincorporated Delta County
• Title: FIS - Delta County, Colorado, Unincorporated Areas
• Date: 8/1/1991
• Designation Date: 3/1/1993
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

In addition, 1.5 miles of Minnesota Creek upstream of the Town of
Paonia and 0.2 mile of Cedar" Run near the City of Orchard City
were studied by approximate methods. Approximate methods of
analysis were used to study areas having a low-development
potential or a minimal flood hazllrd.

2.2 Community Description

Delta County is located in the southwest portion of Colorado and
contains approximately 1,143 square miles. It is bordered by
Gunnison County to the east, Montrose County to the south, and
Mesa County to the north and west.

,

The Ute Indians were the earliest residents of western Colorado.
In 1868, the Utes were put on a reservation which included Delta
County and the surrounding area. This reservation was dissolved
by an 1880 treaty which moved the Ute Indians to a new
reservation in northeastern Utah. On September 1, 1881, the old
Ute Indian reservation was opened for resettlement (Reference 1).

..

Mining, lumber, and agriculture compose the economic base for
Delta County.

The reported
increase of
population of

county cen,sus p<:>pulation
approximately 39 percent
15,286 (Reference 2).

of 1980 was 21,225, an
over the 1970 census

Gunnison River originates at Altmont, Colorado, at the confluence
of Taylor River and East River in Gunnison County, east of Delta
County. From its ori,gin at Altmont, the river flows
approximately 144 miles to its confluence with Colorado River at
Grand Junction, Colorado, in Mesa C,oUnty, northwest of Delta
County. The average elevation is approximately 7,700 feet at
Altmont and 4,550 feet at Grand Jllnction. This gives Gunnison
River an average slope of 0.4 percent. Drainage areas at the
upstream and downstream limits of detailed study are 5,271 square
miles and 6,851 square miles, respectively.

North- 'Fork Gunnison -River 'has its'bea<lwaters' in ,the ' Gunnison
National Forest in Gunnison County, east of Delta County. It is
formed by the confluence of Muddy Creek and Anthracite Creek near
Paonia Dam, and the elevation at this point is approximately
11,000 feet. North Fork Gunnison River flows approximately
57 miles in a southwesterly direction from its headwaters to its
confluence with Gunnison River. The average basin slope is
approximately 150 feet per mile (2.8 percent), while the average
streambed slope is approximately 50 feet per mile (0.95 percent).
Drainage areas at the upstream and downstream limits of detailed
study are 587 square miles and 937 square miles, respectively.

Uncompahgre River has its headwaters high in the northern slopes
of the San Juan Mountains. It flows approximately 62 miles on a
north-northwesterly course from its origin to its confluence with
Gunnison River at Delta. Elevation differences in the drainage

4