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<br />C::A?TER:: <br /> <br />ST~DY AREA DESCRJPT:CN <br /> <br />Loca,:cn <br /> <br />T~e stu:.1y jrea is comprised of 2.7 mi les cf the lake Fotk jf the <br />5~rn:sGn anc J.33 mi les of ; ts :ributary, ~enson CrH'k, beth :f which <br />are locdtea in the immeaiate vicinIty of lake City, Colorado. The ~ake <br />Fork of t~e Gunnison has its neadwaters in tne San Juan Mountains of <br />Southwestern ColoradO. After its confluence with its main tributary, <br />Henson Creek near lake City, it flows r1arthE>rly for approximately 30 miles <br />to its confluence with the Gunnison River in Blue Mesa Reservoir. The <br />total drainage area for the Lake Fork of the Gunnison is over 350 square <br />miles; its average annual flow is approximately 235 cfs. <br />The study area is located immediately above, ~ithin and below the town of <br />lake City, which is the capital seat of Kinsdale County. The estimated <br />population of Lake City is 500. Most of the drainage area <br />above the study reaches is ~itnin the Uncompahgre or Gunnison National <br />Forest and on land administered by the Bureau of land Management. Plate t <br />snows the drainage basin and regional location of the study area. <br /> <br />Climate <br /> <br />The climate of the drainage area is influenced predominately by the <br />h:9h elevation and rugged topography of the surrcundi~g San Juan Mountains. <br />Thp climatp is typically alpine. characterized by cold winters with heavy <br />snowfailandcool,sl",ort;iJrJ'ill€rs. <br />The Town of lake City has an annual average temperature of about 380, <br />with an average January temperature of 18~ and an average July temperature <br />of 580. Average annual precipitation in lake City is 13.4irlcJleS. <br />Climatic conditions In the upper draInage basin will differ significantly <br />from that of Ldke City because of differences in elevation and <br />tcpography. Average annual precioitation In the upper L~ke Fork and <br />Henson Creek Sdsins :5 30.6 inches, of which about o~e-half falls from <br />OCtober through Apri:. The prevai j ing '~ind i:; from t.he '~est, but a '.ide <br />range of sur'dce wind conditions exist as infiuenced by specific <br />topograpnic features. The area experiences occasional surr.(l"ier ,,'~l1der- <br />storms whICh are pr;marily ,o(a, iJe~ in ! ndl'lidual basins, <br /> <br />5 <br />