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this period of coal mlnlng and coke production, great numbers of immigrants were brought into the area to work the minesl the major- ity of these immigrants were Italian. Today, the population of Huerfano County reflects a large percentage of Spanish and Italian descendants. Coal mining and coke production began to decline in 1926. Only one mine remains open in the region. During this decline, many miners turned to cattle raising and farming, which remain important industries in the area. In recent years, tourism has become an important part of the local economy. The Cucharas (also known as the Cuchara) River has its headwaters on the eastern slope of the Culebra Range of the Rocky Mountains. The river drains an area of approximately 735 square miles and flows northeasterly for approximately 59 miles from its source to its confluence with the Huerfano River. The Cucharas River valley is divided into three sections: (1) the mountainous headwater section above La Veta, with deep and narrow gorgesl (2) a compara- tively wide, 30-mile-long alluvial valley below La Vetal and (3) a canyon section through which the Cucharas River flows to its conflu- ence with the Huerfano River. The headwater section of the Cucharas River above La Veta is very mountainous, reaching an altitude of 13,623 feet. The mountain slopes are steep and rough and support dense stands of spruce-fir, ponderosa pine, and pinon pine-juniper. Other vegetation includes aspen, oak brush, laurel, various grasses, and numerous small plants. The area between La Veta and the mountains, approximately a 5-mile radius from La Veta, is characterized by grass-covered rolling hills with scattered pinon and juniper. Middle Creek has its sourCe in the Culebra Range west of La Veta and flows easterly for approximately 7 miles to join the Cucharas River just north of La Veta. The watershed characteristics are similar to those of the Cucharas River. Climate in the Huerfano County area can be separated into two broad zones--the plains zone and the mountainous zone. In the plains zone, precipitation is low and comes primarily in the early spring and late summer. The mountainous zone has an annual precipitation of approximately 16.5 inches, approximately one-half of which occurs as snow in the winter. At Cuchara Camps, north of La Veta, the average annual rainfall is 23.9 inches. Extreme yearly records at Cuchara Camps range from 40.21 inches in 1923 to 15.02 inches in 1910. Based on climatology readings at the Walsenburg Power Plant, the average high temperature is 78.30F, and the average low tempera- ture is 17.40F, giving an overall average temperature of 47.90F. 4