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<br />1 <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />The west end of DeB,~que Canyon is approximat.ely 20 <br /> <br /> <br />miles northeast of Grand .Junction where present highw.ay <br /> <br /> <br />I 70 construction has t.empcn:arily ended. From this <br /> <br /> <br />point the canyon continues in a northeast: direction for <br /> <br /> <br />about 10 miles then widens out into a broad valley near <br /> <br /> <br />the town of DeBeqUEo.. The canyon is generally meandering <br /> <br /> <br />with one bend that appears 1:0 nE~arly form an oxbow. A <br /> <br /> <br />tunnel is proposed at this 10ca1:ion. The, canyon walls <br /> <br /> <br />consist of steep talus slopes and vertica.l rock faces. <br /> <br /> <br />In 1958 a portion of the east wall failed and covered <br /> <br /> <br />US Highway 6 and 40. The scar is quite visible on <br /> <br /> <br />aerial photos and from the roadway.. <br /> <br /> <br />As in several reaches a.lonq l:he Colorado River ,. <br /> <br /> <br />DeBeque Canyon must: accommoo.a"t"e The~ Denver and Rio <br /> <br /> <br />Grande Western Railroad, t:hE' Colorado River at: flood <br /> <br /> <br />stage, and the proposed foux: lanes o:E Intersta1:e hiqh"" <br /> <br /> <br />way. Because of the limited width of the canyon, it. <br /> <br /> <br />is necessary for the highway designer to carefully <br /> <br /> <br />consider the minimum roadway profile along the river <br /> <br /> <br />as well as maximum encroa.chrnent. It is import:ant that <br /> <br /> <br />nei ther the railroa.d nor the hig.hway is damaged by a <br /> <br /> <br />nominal flood. <br />