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! " l BACKGROUND INFORMATION BLUE RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES , , i( f i'_ Breckenridge is located in the upper drainage basin of the Colorado River. The principal tributary flowing through the town is the Blue River. Minor tributaries discharging into the Blue River in the vicinity of Breckenridge include Lehman, Illinois, Sawmill and French Gulches. The location of Brecken- ridge and its relationship to the streams is shown in Plate 2. ~~ , r t t ! The major basin in the Breckenridge area is defined at the point where the Blue River enters Dillon Reservoir. A United States Geological Survey continuous recording stream gage is located approximately 1.5 miles above the reservoir. The drainage area above this gage is 119 square miles and has a mean elevation of 9700 feet above mean sea level. The drainage area above the town of Breckenridge is approximately 55 square miles and has a mean elevation of 10,500 feet above mean sea level. A major hydrologic feature on the Blue River is the Goose Pasture Tarn. The reservoir, commonly referred to as the "Tarn", is located approximately 2 miles above Breckenridge, and has a drainage area of approximately 43.5 square miles. Many other smaller lakes, both natural and man-made, are in the basin. i f , 1., Breckenridge is surrounded on three sides by mountain ranges. All the tributaries or sub-basins to the Blue River in the Breckenridge area have their headwaters on the mountain divides. On the west side of the Blue River is the Tenmile Range with peak elevations ranging from 12,850 to 14,282 feet. above mean sea level. The Continental Divide forms the southern and eastern boundaries of the basin. Peak elevations along this portion of the basin range from 12,245 to 13,684 feet above mean sea level. Tributaries to the Blue River with head waters on the mountain divides have the character- istic of steep slopes and rather long and narrow valleys. ~ Leonard Rice Consulting Water Engineers, Inc.