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<br />STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION <br /> <br />C,!mmun'itv Description <br />La Plata County is located in the southwest corner of 1te State of Colorado, It is bordered by San <br />Jm,n County to the north, Hinsdale and Archuleta Counties to the east, Montezuma County to the <br />west and the state of New Mexico to the south. The county boundaries encompass an area of <br />1,666 square miles and total population as of 1999 was approximately 42,112 with 23,624 of <br />those people living in unincorporated areas. Agriculture and the lumber industry have played an <br />important role in the economy of La Plata County since its initial settlement. In recent years, <br />tourism, the recreation industry and mountain home:;ites have begun playing an increasingly <br />important role in the economic base. <br /> <br />Incorporated cities and towns within the county consist of Durango (the county seat), Bayfield <br />and Ignacio. The 1995 revised PIS for unincorporated La Plata County, excludes these <br />communities in addition to the Ute Indian Reservation, <br /> <br />WJltershed DescriQtiions <br />La Plata County is located on the western slope of the Continental Divide in the Colorado River <br />bm,in, Th~ major stream system in La Plata County is the Animas River which flows from north <br />to :;outh through the central portion of the county. The Animas River originates in the San Juan <br />Mountaim; north of the county, and flows south through steep, nmTOW canyons to reach the <br />nearly I.nile wide Animas Valley in the vicinity of the City of Durango, Elevations in the <br />Animas River drainage basin vary from over 14,000 feet along the western slope of the San Juan <br />Mountaim; to approximately 6,500 feet at Durango. The drainage area of the Animas River at the <br />nOlthern corporate limit of Durango is approximately 649 sq mi. From Durango, the Animas <br />continues south through the Southern Ute Indian RI~servation and on into New Mexico where it <br />confluences with the San Juan River near Farmington, <br /> <br />Other major stream systems located within the county includ(: the Los Pinos River, the Florida <br />River and the La Plata River. The Los Pinos, or Pine River as it is often referred to, is the major <br />drainage course in the eastern portion of the county and is also a tributary to the San Juan River. <br />The Los Pinos River originates in the San Juan Mountains north and east of the county, and <br />generally flows southwest into Vallecito Reservoir. Val.lecito Reservoir has a total storage <br />capacity of 129,700 ac.ft but is a water supply facility with no dedicated flood storage capacity. <br />From Vallecito Reservoir, the Los Pinos flows south to the Town of Bayfield, across the <br />Southern Ute Indian Reservation and ultimately into the San Juan River in New Mexico. At <br />Bayfield the tributary area to the Pine River is approximately 349 sq mi. <br /> <br />The Florida River also originates in the San Juan Mountains north of La Plata County and <br />generally :iollows a south-westerly flow path through the county between the Pine and Animas <br />Rivers. Northeast of Durango, the Florida enters Lemon Reservoir which has total available <br />storage capacity of 40,146 ac.ft. Similar to Vallecito Reservoir though, Lemon Reservoir is <br />primarily. water supply facility and has no dedicated flood storage capacity, Downstream of <br />Lemon Reservoir, the Florida continues along a soulh"w(~:S':erly flow path ultimately confluencing <br />with the Animas River near Bondad several miles north of the New Mexico state line. The <br /> <br />:2 <br />