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<br />accompanied by a large percentage of sunshine and sizable <br />temperature changes from day to night. <br /> <br />Large temperature changes are observed at Stapleton International <br />Airport during the year, where the monthly average varies from <br />29.70F in January to 72,90F in July. The mean maximum varies from <br />43.40F in January to 87,40F in July, while the mean minimum varies <br />from 16,OOF in January to 58. 30F in July, which is indicative of <br />the extent of temperature change from day to night. <br /> <br />Average annual precipitation of 15.2 inches at Stapleton <br />International Airport was determined from data taken over a 25-year <br />period, while 12.4 inches was observed downtown over a 23-year <br />duration. Both stations show a distinct maximum in spring and <br />SUllllller, with a minimum in the winter season. Spring and summer <br />bring much more frequent movement of air from the south and more <br />solar radiation to produce convective showers. Average annual <br />snowfall measurements are 66 inches at the airport and 56 inches in <br />the central part of the city. <br /> <br />Average winds do not change much throughout th~ year. The <br />prevailing direction is from the south in every month, and speeds <br />vary from 8,2 miles per hour (mph) in late summer and early fall to <br />10,4 mph in April (Reference 1), <br /> <br />The soils in the Denver area are generally deep, well-drained, <br />clayey soils that are neutral or mildly alkaline (Reference 2), <br />There are significant sand and gravel deposits along the major <br />streams in the city. These include deposits along the South Platte <br />River, Bear Creek, and Clear Creek. The basins of Sand Creek and <br />Cherry Creek contain fine sand, but little gravel (Reference 1). <br /> <br />The major stream in the Denver area is the South Platte River, It <br />flows 380 miles from its headwaters at the Continental Divide in <br />Park County to its confluence with the North Platte River at North <br />Platte, Nebraska, where the drainage area is approximately 24,300 <br />square miles. The drainage area of the South Platte River in <br />Denver is approximately 3,800 square miles, <br /> <br />The major tributaries to the South Platte River in the Denver area <br />are Cherry Creek (drainage area 410 square miles), Sand Creek <br />(drainage area 189 square miles at Quebec Street), Clear Creek <br />(drainage area 575 square miles), and Bear Creek (drainage area 261 <br />square miles at the mouth). <br /> <br />In most cases, present-day conditions have reached or are <br />approaching full urbanization for major drainage basins in the <br />Denver area. The exceptions include Coon Creek, First Creek, and <br />First Creek Tributary, Coon Creek is a smaller basin where a large <br />amount of residential development is occurring. Clear Creek, Sand <br />Creek, First Creek, and First Creek Tributary are larger basins <br />with most of their development at the lower end of the basins near <br />the confluence with the South Platte River. The Bear Creek <br />floodplain has moderate residential development, with some open <br /> <br />8 <br />