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<br />II <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />mounta i nous, with deep broad valleys conta i ni ng the 1 arger ri vers and steep <br />gullies containing the smaller creeks. The basin is bounded by the Continental <br />Divide on the east and south sides, from Loveland Pass to Fremont Pass, while the <br />Gore Range and Vail Pass form the boundary on the west side. The elevations in <br />the basin are high, ranging from 14,270 feet at Grays Peak along the Continental <br />Divide to 8,000 feet at Green Mountain Reservoir. The average elevation is <br />approximately 10,000 feet (Fig. 1). <br /> <br />The vegetative characteristics on all streams studied in the basin are generally <br />the same. Alpine grasses exist above an elevation of 11,500 feet while thick <br />conifer forests occur at elevations between 11,500 feet and 9,000 feet. Below <br />9,000 feet, sage typically covers the valley walls. The floodplains and valley <br />floors are generally covered with thick willow bushes and other riparian <br />vegetation up to the river channels. <br /> <br />III. STUDY BASIN DESCRIPTIONS <br /> <br />The Upper Blue River Basin begins at the Continental Divide, bounded by Hoosier <br /> <br />Ridge to the south. The basin has a drainage area of 129 square miles and drains <br /> <br />to the north along the Blue River to Dillon Reservoir. The Blue River channel <br /> <br />slope varies from 4.6% above Breckenridge to 1.2% above Lake Dillon. Study <br /> <br /> <br />reaches within this basin include two stretches along the Blue River and portions <br /> <br />of three tributaries of the Blue River, which are French Gulch, South Barton <br /> <br /> <br />Gulch, and Swan River (Figs. 4 and 5). <br /> <br />2 <br />